Crash of a Piper PA-60 Aerostar (Ted Smith 602P) in Pamplona: 1 killed

Date & Time: Feb 20, 2020 at 1819 LT
Operator:
Registration:
EC-HRJ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Sabadell - Pamplona
MSN:
62P-0897-8165027
YOM:
1981
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Aircraft flight hours:
3049
Circumstances:
On Thursday, 20 February 2020, the Piper PA-60-602P aircraft, with registration EC-HRJ, took off from Sabadell Airport (LELL) bound for Pamplona Airport (LEPP). At 17:51:43 hours local time, when the aircraft was in the vicinity of the SURCO waypoint, a sudden change in course from 300º to 317º was observed on the aircraft's radar trace. Moments later, at 17:53:12, the pilot of the aircraft contacted the Madrid air control units to report problems with one of his engines, adding verbatim: “I’m not sure if I’ve lost the turbo”. In a subsequent communication with the same air traffic controller, at 17:57:22 h, the pilot stated: "I’ve lost an engine”. At 17:57:58 h, the pilot contacted the controller of the Pamplona control tower. The controller asked him if he required any assistance, and the pilot replied that he did not. At 18:16:15 h, the pilot told the control tower controller that he was on right base for runway 33. The controller cleared him to land and asked him to notify him when he was on final. At 18:19:40 h, the control tower controller alerted the airport Fire Extinguishing Service (SEI) when he saw the aircraft crash and a column of smoke coming from the wreckage area. The aircraft had impacted the ground during the final approach manoeuvre. As it fell, it hit and severed a power line. The pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was killed during the accident. The impact and subsequent fire completely destroyed the aircraft.
Probable cause:
The investigation concluded the probable cause of the accident was that the aircraft lost control on final approach to runway 33 as a result of flying with asymmetrical power.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 510 Citation Mustang in Daytona Beach

Date & Time: Feb 20, 2020 at 1245 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N163TC
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Daytona Beach - Daytona Beach
MSN:
510-0039
YOM:
2007
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2533
Captain / Total hours on type:
90.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7500
Aircraft flight hours:
2380
Circumstances:
The pilot was receiving a checkride from a designated pilot examiner for his single-pilot type rating in a turbine airplane. After a series of maneuvers, emergencies, and landings, the examiner asked the pilot to complete a no-flap landing. The pilot reported that he performed the Before Landing checklist with no flaps and believed that he had put the gear down. During touchdown, the pilot felt a "thump" and thought a tire had blown; however, he saw that the landing gear handle was in the "up" position, and he noted that the landing gear warning horn did not sound because he had performed a no-flaps landing. The examiner confirmed that the landing gear handle was in the "up" position. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. A Federal Aviation Administration inspector who examined the airplane reported that the landing gear handle was in the "up" position and that the fuselage had sustained substantial damage. The landing gear was lowered and locked into place without issue after the airplane was lifted from the runway.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to lower the landing gear before landing. Contributing to the accident was the examiner's failure to check that the landing gear was extended.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2R in Magadan

Date & Time: Feb 20, 2020 at 1032 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-40642
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Magadan – Seymchan
MSN:
1G213-49
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
8750
Captain / Total hours on type:
4543.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3865
Copilot / Total hours on type:
3865
Aircraft flight hours:
14822
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane, operated by T-Cement, was engaged in a charter flight from Magadan to Seymchan, carrying 12 pilots and 12 mining employees of the company and their 445 kilos of luggages and personal stuffs. After takeoff from the snowy runway 01, while climbing to a height of 10 metres, the aircraft entered a nose-up attitude while its speed dropped. At a height of about 30 metres, the angle of attack increased to 24° and the speed dropped to 65 km/h, causing the aircraft to stall and to crash in a snow covered field, some 240 metres past the runway end. All 14 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The aircraft stalled during initial climb because its total weight was above the MTOW and the CofG was well beyond the aft limit. The crew failed to prepare the flight according to procedure and, failed to proceed with a mass and balance calculation and the passengers and lugages were incorrectly placed in the cabin according to the CofG.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Bogotá: 4 killed

Date & Time: Feb 12, 2020 at 1544 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HK-4686
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Bogotá – Villagarzón
MSN:
31-344
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
1890
Captain / Total hours on type:
250.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
646
Aircraft flight hours:
10251
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Bogotá-Guaymaral Airport, while in initial climb, the crew informed ATC about the failure of the right engine. He was cleared to return for an emergency and completed a circuit to land on ruwnay 11. On final, the airplane lost height and crashed in a wooded area located about 800 metres short of runway, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The investigation determined that the accident was caused by the following probable cause(s):
- Loss of in-flight control as a result of slowing below Minimum Control Speed and drag, generated by the failure of the right engine (No. 2).
- Failure of engine No. 2, due to lack of lubrication, possibly caused by oil leakage through an 11.5 mm fracture, found in one of the sides of cylinder No. 2 at the height of the intake valves.
- Inappropriate application by the crew of the emergency procedure for landing with an inoperative engine, by not declaring the emergency, not feathering the propeller of the inoperative engine and configuring the aircraft early for landing (with landing gear and flaps) without having a safe runway, making it difficult to control the aircraft and placing it in a condition of loss of lift and control.

Contributing Factors:
- Failure of the operator to emphasize in the crew training program the techniques and procedures to be followed in the event of engine failure, among others, the declaration of emergency to ATC, the flagging of the propeller of the inoperative engine, the care in the application of power to the good engine so as not to increase yaw and not to configure the aircraft until landing has been assured.
- Lack of emergency calls by the crew, which denotes deficiencies in the Operator's Safety Management System, and which prevented the early warning of the aerodrome support services and deprived the crew of possible assistance from other aircraft or from the same operator.
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 737-524 in Usinsk

Date & Time: Feb 9, 2020 at 1227 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VQ-BPS
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Moscow - Usinsk
MSN:
28909/2960
YOM:
1997
Flight number:
UT595
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
94
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
17852
Captain / Total hours on type:
7672.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6595
Copilot / Total hours on type:
4989
Aircraft flight hours:
57410
Aircraft flight cycles:
29162
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Moscow-Vnukovo Airport, the crew initiated the descent to Usinsk Airport Runway 13. On short final, the aircraft hit a snow bank (1,1 metre high) located 32 metres short of runway threshold, still on the concrete zone. Upon impact, both main gears were torn off and the airplane belly landed and slid for few hundred metres before coming to rest. All 100 occupants evacuated safely and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.
Probable cause:
The accident with the Boeing 737-500 VQ-BPS aircraft occurred during the landing as a result of a collision of the aircraft with a snow parapet 1.1 m high at a distance of 32 m to the runway threshold (within the paved section of the runway), which resulted in damage to the main landing gear and their subsequent "folding" in the process of moving along the runway.
The accident was caused by a combination of the following factors:
- the presence of contradictions in the Federal Aviation Rules for flights in the airspace of the Russian Federation, the airline's radio control system and the aircraft operational documentation regarding the need and procedure for introducing temperature corrections to the readings of barometric altimeters at low ambient temperatures;
- Failure by the operator of the Usinsk aerodrome to comply with the FAP-262 requirements for the maintenance of the aerodrome, which resulted in the presence of snow parapets on the paved section of the landing strip;
- the operator of the Usinsk aerodrome did not eliminate the shortcomings in the winter maintenance of the aerodrome, noted based on the results of the inspection by the Rosaviatsia commission on January 22, 2020;
- lack of risk assessment in the airline associated with the execution of approaches in the baro-VNAV mode in the presence of factors that impede such approaches (low ambient temperatures, snow-covered underlying surface, drifting snow (snowstorm), significant changes in the relief in front of the runway end, lack of PAPI-type lights), as well as appropriate recommendations to the crews on the specifics of such approaches, including after the transition to visual flight, and crew training;
- insufficient assessment by the crew during the preparation of the existing threats (hazard factors) and making an insufficiently substantiated decision to perform an RNAV (GNSS) approach (under the control of the autopilot in LNAV/VNAV mode) without introducing a correction for low outside air temperature in altitude overflying waypoints, which led to a flight below the established glide path;
- performing a flight along the "extended glide path" after turning off the autopilot and switching to manual piloting without attempting to enter the set glide path;
- the PIC may have had a visual illusion of a "high glide path" due to a snow-covered underlying surface, a snowstorm and the presence of a ravine directly in front of the runway end in the absence of PAPI type lights, which led to an incorrect assessment of the aircraft's flight altitude after switching to manual piloting, lack of reaction to timely and correct warnings of the co-pilot and exit to the runway end at a height significantly less than the established one.
Final Report:

Crash of a Being 737-86J in Istanbul: 3 killed

Date & Time: Feb 5, 2020 at 1820 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
TC-IZK
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Izmir - Istanbul
MSN:
37742
YOM:
2009
Flight number:
PC2193
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
6
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
177
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Izmir-Adnan Menderes Airport, the crew initiated the approach to Istanbul-Sabiha Gökçen Airport runway 06. Weather conditions were poor with thunderstorm activity, rain, CB's and a wind from 290 gusting to 37 knots. After touchdown on a wet runway, the airplane was unable to stop within the remaining distance. It overran, turned slightly to the left then went down an embankment (25 meters high) and came to rest, broken in three. Three passengers were killed while all 180 other occupants were evacuated to local hospitals. It is understood that the airplane apparently landed 1,500 meters past the runway threshold (runway 06 is 3,000 meters long) with a non negligible tailwind component that must be confirmed.

Crash of a Beechcraft B60 Duke in Big Spring

Date & Time: Jan 29, 2020 at 1710 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N50JR
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Abilene – Midland
MSN:
P-303
YOM:
1974
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
25000
Captain / Total hours on type:
7.00
Circumstances:
The pilot was conducting a cross-country flight at a cruise altitude of 10,500 ft mean sea level when the left engine lost all power. He secured the engine and elected to continue to his destination. Shortly thereafter, the right engine lost all power. After selecting an airport for a forced landing, he overflew the runway and entered the pattern. The pilot stated that on short final, after extending the landing gear, "the plane quit flying and the airspeed went to nothing." The airplane landed 200 to 300 yards short of the runway threshold, resulting in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. During a postaccident examination, only tablespoons of fuel were drained from the left tank. Due to the position of the airplane, the right tank could not be drained; however, when power was applied to the airplane, both fuel quantity gauges indicated empty fuel tanks. Neither fuel tank was breached during the accident, and there was no discoloration present on either of the wings or engine nacelles to indicate a fuel leak; therefore, the loss of engine power is consistent with fuel exhaustion.
Probable cause:
A total loss of engine power in both engines due to fuel exhaustion, which resulted in a landing short of the runway.
Final Report:

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-83 in Bandar-e Mahshahr

Date & Time: Jan 27, 2020 at 0736 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EP-CPZ
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Tehran - Bandar-e Mahshahr
MSN:
53464
YOM:
1994
Flight number:
RV6936
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
136
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
18430
Captain / Total hours on type:
7840.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
300
Copilot / Total hours on type:
124
Circumstances:
On Jan. 27, 2020, at 03:12 UTC Caspian Airlines (CPN) Flight 6936, an MD83, EP-CPZ took off from Mehrabad International Airport and climbed to FL320 as final cruising level. At about 03:45:37 UTC, the aircraft was flying according to the flight plan route on Airway B417 at an assigned FL320. Due to another traffic departing flight, an A320, IRA356 from Abadan Airport (OIAA) to destination Mashhad International Airport (OIMM), the ACC controller issued direct routing to the flight CPN 6936 position GODMO. At 03:49:34 UTC, CPN6936 requested descent clearance, so the flight was cleared to FL100. At 03:52:30 UTC, the pilot called Mahshahr AFISO and reported position 50 nm inbound GODMO and estimated time over GODMO at 03:59 UTC. At 03:52:51 UTC, Mahshahr AFISO reported necessary information as below: "RWY active is 31; wind is now 280/08kts, CAVOK, temperature +06, DP 04 and QNH 1023, expected VOR approach RWY 31 via GODMO 1E ARRIVAL" At 03:53: 33 UTC, the pilot requested RWY 13 and Mahshahr AFISO performed VOR/DME approach RWY 13, via GODMO 1F arrival. At 03:59:39 UTC, the pilot reported, “we are approaching position GODMO in contact with destination Mahshahr.” At 04:00:41UTC, the pilot reported his position “GODMO” to Mahshahr AFISO. At 04:02:46 UTC, the pilot reported leaving of IAF and received landing clearance for RWY13. Finally, at 04:06:11 UTC, the aircraft landed on RWY 13, passed two-thirds of RWY length and ran off the end of runway13 after landing at Mahshahr Airport at 04:06 UTC, Khuzestan province. The accident flight was being operated on an Instrument Flight Rules (IFR) flight plan in a Visual Meteorological Condition (VMC). The main door of the accident aircraft was opened in emergency condition, but the slide skid did not operate automatically. The cabin floor was just too close to the ground (grass surface) due to the impact of the nose and main landing gears strut which were broken after the runway overrun. The evacuation was performed from the main door, and all 136 passengers and 8 crew members disembarked.
Probable cause:
The Aircraft Accident Investigation Board determines that the probable causes of this accident were the pilots’ failures below, resulting in a runway overrun:
- Poor decision-making for acceptance of the risk of high-speed landing;
- Un-stabilized approach against the normal flight profile;
- Poor CRM in the cockpit; and
- Poor judgment and not accomplishing go-around while performing an unstabilized approach.

Contributing Factors:
- Loading of 5 tons of extra fuel, which increased the landing distance required.
- Decision to make a landing on RWY 13 with tailwind.
- Inability of the copilot (PM) to take control of the aircraft and proper action to execute goaround.
Final Report:

Crash of a Stinson V-77 Reliant in Auburn: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 24, 2020 at 0956 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N50249
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Auburn - Auburn
MSN:
77-458
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
650
Circumstances:
The pilot departed on a local flight with two passengers. Several witnesses reported that they heard the airplane’s engine backfiring and sputtering and subsequently heard the engine quit. The surviving passenger, who was seated in the front right seat, stated that the engine lost power and there was nowhere to land. The airplane subsequently impacted heavily wooded terrain about 1 mile from the departure airport. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the No. 7 cylinder intake valve was stuck open. The No. 2 cylinder front spark plug was defective, and the Nos. 2- and 4-cylinders’ ignition wires were frayed, worn, and displayed arcing, which likely led to erratic operation or a lack of ignition in these two cylinders. The culmination of these issues most likely led to the engine running rough, backfiring, and subsequently losing total power. An annual inspection was accomplished on the airframe and engine about 2 months before the
accident. General maintenance practices and the inspection should have identified the anomalies that were found during the postaccident engine examination.
Probable cause:
A total loss of engine power due to a combination of mechanical engine anomalies. Contributing to the accident was inadequate maintenance that failed to identify the engine anomalies.
Final Report:

Crash of a Lockheed C-130BZ Hercules in Goma

Date & Time: Jan 9, 2020
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
403
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Beni - Goma
MSN:
3750
YOM:
1962
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
59
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The four engine airplane was completing a flight from Beni to Goma, carrying 59 South African troops and eight crew members from the 28th Squadron on behalf of the MONUSCO (Mission de l’Organisation des Nations unies pour la stabilisation en République Démocratique du Congo). The approach and landing were completed in heavy rain falls. After touchdown, the airplane veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area with the left wing broken in two and the n°1 engine on fire. All 67 occupants escaped uninjured and the fire was quickly contained. However, the aircraft seems to be damaged beyond repair.