Crash of a Piper PA-46-310P Malibu in Marina di Campo: 5 killed

Date & Time: Jul 16, 2006 at 1856 LT
Registration:
D-EJMV
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Marina di Campo - Vilshofen
MSN:
46-08085
YOM:
1987
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Aircraft flight hours:
1001
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft was ready at 1850LT for a private flight to Vilshofen, Bavaria, carrying four passengers and one pilot. During the takeoff roll on runway 34 at Marina di Campo Airport, the tower controller informed the pilot that smoke was coming out from the airplane, but the pilot did not reply to this message and continued the takeoff procedure. After liftoff in VFR conditions, the aircraft initiated a turn to the right then a second turn to the left when it descended and crashed in a vineyard located about one km north of the runway end. Two passengers were seriously injured while three other occupants were killed. Few hours later, one of the survivors died from his injuries while the last survivor passed away the following day. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
The accident, reasonably triggered by a technical problem that the investigations could not identify with indisputable certainty, was attributable to an in-flight loss of control of the aircraft following an aerodynamic stall at low altitude during initial climb. The pilot's attempt to return to the airport was unsuccessful and the short distance between the aircraft and the ground did not allow him to expect a stall recovery.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-12 in Geneina

Date & Time: Jul 14, 2006
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft was completing a flight to Geneina, carrying an unknown number of people and a load consisting of 30 tons of ammunitions. After touchdown at Geneina Airport, the four engine aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran and came to rest few dozen metres further in a field, broken in several pieces. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Lockheed L-382G-32C Hercules in Kigoma

Date & Time: Jul 12, 2006 at 1517 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
S9-BOF
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Kamina – Manono – Kigoma
MSN:
4586
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
TFK822
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
5
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Kamina on a special UN flight to Kigoma, Tanzania, with an intermediate stop in Manono, DRC. On approach to runway 16, the captain decided to initiate a go-around procedure for unknown reasons. During the second attempt to land, the aircraft descended below the glide and struck the ground, coming to rest 300 metres short of runway threshold, bursting into flames. All 5 occupants were injured while the aircraft was destroyed by fire.
Probable cause:
Wrong approach configuration after the crew adopted an excessive rate of descent, causing the aircraft to pass below the glide until it impacted ground. The crew failed to initiate a second go-around for unknown reasons.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Easton: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jul 11, 2006 at 1735 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N40ST
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Spokane - Seattle
MSN:
31-7405183
YOM:
1974
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
1430
Captain / Total hours on type:
102.00
Aircraft flight hours:
3646
Circumstances:
While cruising en route in VFR conditions, the aircraft lost power on both engines. The pilot attempted an emergency forced landing at a nearby unpaved State airport, but after encountering a 20 mph tailwind on downwind and a 20 mph headwind on final, the aircraft impacted a tall conifer tree while about one-half mile from the approach end of the runway. The reason for the dual engine power loss was not determined.
Probable cause:
The loss of power in both engines for undetermined reasons while in cruise flight, leading to an attempted forced landing. Factors include unfavorable winds at the site of the forced landing, and trees off the approach end of the grass runway the pilot was attempting to land on.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 200 in Multan: 45 killed

Date & Time: Jul 10, 2006 at 1205 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
AP-BAL
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Multan - Lahore
MSN:
10243
YOM:
1964
Flight number:
PK688
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
45
Captain / Total flying hours:
9320
Captain / Total hours on type:
138.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
520
Copilot / Total hours on type:
303
Aircraft flight hours:
73591
Aircraft flight cycles:
83485
Circumstances:
On 10 July 2006, F-27 Fokker registration No AP-BAL, belonging to Pakistan International Airline was scheduled to fly from Multan to Lahore. The aircraft had 45 souls on board including four crew members. The Captain of the aircraft was Captain Hamid Qureshi. The aircraft took off for Lahore at 1205 hours Pakistan Standard Time (PST) from Multan Runway 36. Soon after takeoff, the aircraft was observed by the ATC and other eyewitnesses to be maintaining very low altitude and drifting right in a bank. ATC Control tower tried to establish contact with aircraft, but no contact was established. Subsequently a call from the local resident was received stating that an aircraft had crashed at about 2 km, NE of the Runway. All souls on board the aircraft sustained fatal injuries and the aircraft was completely burned.
Probable cause:
Accidents and losses are part of aviation business, but avoidable accidents hurt us the most. PIA or any other company can ill afford such losses. In this accident, while the aircraft had developed a problem in its right engine turbine, resulting in the engine failure, yet a professional handling by the aircrew could have saved 45 precious lives and a valuable aircraft. It is also felt that this accident may not be viewed as an isolated case of a pilot’s failure to handle the emergency. The problems were observed to be complex and deep routed and reflect towards the organization and her culture. The occurrence (right engine failure) took place due to improper assembly during overhaul. Quality Control system of PIA Engineering appears to be ineffective in detecting the weaknesses. The accident took place due to improper handling of the emergency by the air crew which reflected towards in adequacies of PIA Training/Assessment and Scheduling System. The CAA Airworthiness, too, can not be absolved of their responsibilities of regulating and monitoring the quality control system at PIAC Engineering.
Final Report:

Crash of a Tupolev TU-134AK at Simferopol-Gvardeyskoye AFB

Date & Time: Jul 10, 2006
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
05 red
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Gvardeyskoye AFB - Moscow-Chkalovsky
MSN:
63875
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll from Simferopol-Gvardeyskoye AFB, the captain started the rotation and the nose gear lifted up. At the same time, the left engine exploded. The captain decided to abandon the takeoff procedure and started an emergency braking procedure. Few seconds were necessary for the nose to land back on runway then the aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest, bursting into flames. All 28 occupants were rescued, among them 3 were slightly injured. The aircraft was totally destroyed by a post crash fire. Among those on board was the Admiral Vladimir Masorin of the Russian Navy who was flying back to Moscow following a general inspection of the military installations in Simferopol.
Probable cause:
Failure and explosion of the left engine at takeoff following a bird strike.

Crash of an Airbus A310-324 in Irkutsk: 125 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 2006 at 0744 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
F-OGYP
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Irkutsk
MSN:
442
YOM:
1987
Flight number:
SBI778
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
195
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
125
Captain / Total flying hours:
10611
Captain / Total hours on type:
1056.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
9771
Copilot / Total hours on type:
158
Aircraft flight hours:
59865
Aircraft flight cycles:
12550
Circumstances:
On July 8, 2006 an А310 airplane with state registration number F-OGYP (France), leased by ОАО Aviakompania Sibir, and with a flight crew consisting of the Captain and the co-pilot, was flying scheduled passenger flight С7 778 from Domodedovo to Irkutsk. Apart from the two cockpit personnel, there were 6 flight attendants and 195 passengers on board (of these, 2 worked for the company), which included 181 nationals of Russia, 3 of Germany, 3 of the PRC, 2 of Poland, 3 of Belarus, 2 of Moldova and 1 of Azerbaijan. The airplane's payload according to the flight manifest was 19,800 kg (which included about 80 kg of hazardous freight - perfume), its take-off weight 140414 kg (maximum permissible – 150,000 kg), and center-of-gravity position 25.5% (the range of permissible center-of-gravity positions for take-off is 18% - 32%). Upon completion of the pre-flight preparation, the crew took off from Domodedovo airport at 17:17 (17:15 – as per schedule) and after climbing set a course for its destination airport of Irkutsk (alternate airport Bratsk). The flight proceeded without incident and at 22:17 the crew initiated descent for an approach and landing at Irkutsk airport. At 22:43:40 the airplane landed without misalignment on runway 30 at Irkutsk airport. Before the flight, in accordance with Sibir’s MEL, the maintenance personnel deactivated the thrust reverser on the airplane's left engine after hearing the crew's observation about this thrust reverser's malfunction during a previous flight. After touchdown all spoiler sections prepared ("armed") by the crew for utilization were deployed and the autobrake in Low mode, previously selected by the crew, was activated. The pilot moved the right engine (no. 2) thrust reverser forward. However, simultaneously with the subsequent reduction of the reverse mode of engine no. 2, engine no. 1 started to speed up (forward thrust), which led to an increase in airplane speed and the onset of torque that pulled the airplane to the right. The crew failed to perceive the cause of what was happening. In spite of intense wheel-braking efforts, the airplane used up the entire length of the runway and overshot its end at a speed of about 180 kph. The airplane then continued to travel on wet soil. At a distance of about 300 m from the departure threshold of the runway, the airplane collided with a concrete barrier of the aerodrome and then with some garages located directly behind the barrier, after which the airplane, now seriously damaged, stopped. As a result of the destruction of the fuel tanks the fuel ignited and fire penetrated the airplane's interior. As a result of the accident, 125 individuals died, including the two pilots and three of the flight attendants. The airplane was practically completely destroyed by the fire.
Probable cause:
The cause of Sibir A310 F-OGYP accident was the erroneous and uncontrolled actions by the crew during rollout after landing in a configuration with one engine reverser deactivated. After touchdown, the Captain, while acting on the reverse thrust lever of the right engine, inadvertently and uncontrollably moved the throttle lever for the left engine, whose thrust reverser was deactivated, from the "idle" to the significant forward thrust position. Inadequate monitoring and call-outs of airplane speed and engine parameters by the Co-pilot made it impossible for the crew to perform the necessary actions, either by moving the left throttle back to idle or shutting down the engines. The crew had enough time to recognize the situation. The airplane went off the runway at the high speed of ~180 km/h, hit the concrete fence and buildings, crashed and caught fire. 125 people died as a result of the accident.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell Sabreliner 40 in Mexico City

Date & Time: Jul 5, 2006 at 0500 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XA-UCS
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
León – Mexico City
MSN:
282-6
YOM:
1964
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following a hard landing on runway 05 at Mexico City-Benito Juárez Airport, the tyre on the left main gear burst. The fuel tank was punctured by debris and a fire erupted. The aircraft was stopped on the main runway and while both pilots escaped uninjured, the aircraft was partially destroyed by fire.

Crash of a Swearingen SA227AC Metro III in Canberra

Date & Time: Jul 1, 2006
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VH-VEH
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
AC-663B
YOM:
1986
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
By night, the twin engine aircraft landed hard at Canberra Airport. There were no injuries but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
ATSB did not conduct any investigations on this event.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Vilanculos: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 2006 at 1900 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
ZS-POG
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Polokwane – Vilanculos
MSN:
208B-0396
YOM:
1994
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Polokwane on a charter flight to Madagascar with an intermediate stop in Vilanculos, carrying one passenger and two pilots. On final approach to Vilanculos Airport by night, the airplane collided with two palms and crashed 2 km short of runway. All three occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed. Few hours after the crash, one of the pilots died from his injuries.