Crash of a Cessna T207A Skywagon in Arusha: 5 killed

Date & Time: Feb 3, 1998 at 0725 LT
Operator:
Registration:
5H-PAT
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Arusha - Zanzibar
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
5
Captain / Total flying hours:
1700
Captain / Total hours on type:
300.00
Circumstances:
After takeoff from Arusha Airport runway 09, while climbing, the pilot declared an emergency following an engine failure. While attempting to return, he lost control of the airplane that crashed 1,200 metres from the runway, bursting into flames. All five occupants were killed, among them four Italian citizens.
Probable cause:
The exact cause of the engine failure could not be determined with certainty. The aircraft was maintained according to published procedures. At the time of the accident, the engine had 1,245 flying hours and the next maintenance was scheduled within 155 flying hours.

Crash of a Beechcraft F90 King Air in Bhilainagar: 6 killed

Date & Time: Feb 2, 1998 at 1916 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
VT-ELZ
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
New Delhi - Bhilainagar
MSN:
LA-233
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Captain / Total flying hours:
7790
Circumstances:
SAIL King Air F90 aircraft VT-ELZ was involved in an accident near Bhilai Airfield on 02-02-98 during private flight from I.G.I. Airport, New Delhi to Bhilai Airfield. The pilot while on direct track to Bhilai at 76 DME from Raipur and FL070 insisted for further descent reporting bad weather. ATC Raipur cleared him for descend to 2,700 feet on QNH of Raipur i.e. below MORA and MSA. On descending the navigation and communication guidance became intermittent and unreliable. Due to severe weather activities the aircraft diverted 40 NMs right of the track. The pilot while steering in the Easterly direction i.e. towards the destination in the darkness on the evening hours flew into rising terrain and collided with a hill resulting into fatal injuries to all the occupants
and post accident fire. Aircraft was completely destroyed. Crash occurred 10 minutes to ETA.
Probable cause:
The aircraft in flight collided with rising terrain when the pilot flew below the height of the hill top during circumnavigating bad weather and attempting to reach destination by maintaining visual contact with ground. Weather, disregard to standard operating procedures and night flying were considered as contributing factors.
Final Report:

Crash of a Pilatus PC-6/B2-H4 Turbo Porter in Durba

Date & Time: Jan 31, 1998
Registration:
9Q-CZG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
916
YOM:
1996
Location:
Region:
Crew on board:
0
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Crashed in unknown circumstances. There were no casualties.

Crash of a Cessna 208 Caravan I in Port Heiden

Date & Time: Jan 30, 1998 at 1700 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N9316F
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Port Heiden - Chignik
MSN:
208-0011
YOM:
1985
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
15000
Captain / Total hours on type:
4500.00
Aircraft flight hours:
13478
Circumstances:
The pilot departed in visual meteorological conditions of three to four miles visibility with high ceilings. He stated the airplane encountered freezing rain about five miles south of the airport while in cruise flight at 1,200 feet msl, and rapidly accumulated ice on the airframe, wings, and windshield. The pilot said he initially changed altitude in an attempt to exit the icing conditions. Ice accumulation continued, so he elected to return. While maneuvering to land at the airport, the airplane was unable to maintain altitude at full engine power. He said that any angle of bank resulted in the onset of pre stall buffet, so he decided to land on a frozen lake south of the airport. He said that the airplane did not reach the lake, 'mushed into the ground,' and during the flare/touchdown, the left wing stalled. The pilot did not have access to the official weather prior to departure. The National Weather Service contracted observer, made his observation from a location about five miles south of the official weather station at the airport. The FAA AWOS-3 was inoperative. Examination of the airplane after the accident revealed a 1/2 inch layer of clear ice covering all the upper and lower airfoil surfaces of the airplane, from leading edges to between 1/3 and 1/2 of the chords. All antennas were coated with approximately 1/2 inch of clear ice. The airplane was not equipped with ice protection equipment except for pitot heat and windshield heat.
Probable cause:
The pilot's inadequate in-flight decision resulting in airframe ice accumulation to the extent that degraded aircraft performance and insufficient airspeed occurred followed by a stall. Contributing factors were freezing rain and icing conditions.
Final Report:

Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 600 in Sandoway: 16 killed

Date & Time: Jan 27, 1998 at 1145 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
XY-AES
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sandoway – Kyaukpyu
MSN:
10576
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
UB403
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
41
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
16
Circumstances:
After takeoff from runway 02, while in initial climb, the right engine apparently failed. The aircraft rolled to the right, lost height and struck a concrete wall. Out of control, it crashed, broken into several pieces and bursting into flames. A crew member and 15 passengers were killed. No technical anomalies were found on both engines, braking systems, tyres and landing gear.

Crash of a Beechcraft A90 King Air in Selmer

Date & Time: Jan 22, 1998 at 0730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N911KA
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Nashville - Selmer
MSN:
LJ-254
YOM:
1967
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3190
Captain / Total hours on type:
1500.00
Aircraft flight hours:
8842
Circumstances:
According to the pilot, upon landing in heavy rain, the airplane began hydroplaning. He said the airplane departed the left side of the runway, striking trees, which damaged both wings and collapsed the landing gear. A witness stated the airplane touched down in moderate rain.
Probable cause:
The loss of control on the ground, due to hydroplaning, and a collision with trees. A factor was the rain.
Final Report:

Crash of a BAe 3112 Jetstream 31 in Lloydminster

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1998 at 1810 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FBIE
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Calgary - Lloydminster
MSN:
815
YOM:
1988
Flight number:
ABK933
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
4786
Captain / Total hours on type:
635.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1450
Copilot / Total hours on type:
151
Aircraft flight hours:
16180
Circumstances:
At 1700 MST, Alberta Citylink flight 933, C-FBIE, a British Aerospace Jetstream 31, serial number 815, took off from Calgary, on a scheduled flight to Lloydminster, Alberta. The aircraft carried a two-pilot crew, 13 passengers, and 250 pounds of freight and baggage. A non-precision automatic direction finder (ADF) approach was conducted to runway 25. The first officer was flying the approach, and when the runway environment became visual, the captain took control, requested 35 degrees of flap, and commenced the final descent to the runway. On touchdown, the left main landing gear collapsed and both propellers struck the runway surface. The aircraft slid along the runway on the belly pod for about 1 800 feet, and when the left wing contacted snow on the edge of the runway, the aircraft turned about 160 degrees. The passengers and crew evacuated through the over-wing exit. There was no fire and no injuries. The Board determined that an unstabilized approach resulted in a heavy landing because the captain changed the configuration of the aircraft, and the high rate of descent was not arrested before contact was made with the runway surface. Contributing to the high rate of descent were the reduction of engine power to flight idle, airframe ice, and the time available for the final descent. Contributing to the damage on landing was the left-to-right movement of the aircraft.
Probable cause:
An unstabilized approach resulted in a heavy landing because the captain changed the configuration of the aircraft, and the high rate of descent that resulted was not arrested before contact was made with the runway surface. Contributing to the high rate of descent were the reduction of engine power to flight idle, airframe ice, and the time available for the final descent. Contributing to the damage on landing was the left to right movement of the aircraft.
Final Report:

Crash of an ATR42-312 in Alghero

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1998 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
EI-COC
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Pisa - Alghero
MSN:
048
YOM:
1987
Flight number:
DRG111
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
22
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The encountered high winds on approach and landing at Alghero Airport. Upon touchdown on runway 03, the aircraft encountered unfavorable winds and floated before landing 750 metres past the runway 03 threshold. The aircraft landed hard, nose gear first. The aircraft bounced and landed firmly 1,300 metres further, to the right of the runway. It lost its undercarriage and came to rest after a distance of 400 metres. All 25 occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. At the time of the accident, crosswinds were gusting up to 42 knots.

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Sanikiluaq

Date & Time: Jan 20, 1998
Operator:
Registration:
C-FDNF
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sanikiluaq – Iqaluit
MSN:
31-8252042
YOM:
1982
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
2800
Captain / Total hours on type:
1000.00
Circumstances:
The Piper Navajo Chieftain PA-31-350, serial number 31-8252042, was on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight from Sanikiluaq to Iqaluit, Northwest Territories. Two pilots and two passengers were on board. After checking the runway condition and weather, the pilot commenced his take-off run on runway 27. After take-off, the pilot saw flames coming out of the right engine cowl. The right engine was shut down but the aircraft could not maintain a sufficient rate of climb, and it crashed on flat, snow-covered ground about one mile from the end of the runway. The aircraft sustained substantial damage on landing. After the aircraft came to a stop, the occupants evacuated via the left front door and walked back to the airport terminal for shelter and assistance. There were no injuries. The occurrence happened at night in instrument meteorological conditions.
Probable cause:
A modification to the cabin heating unit inconsistent with the manufacturer's recommendations and aviation regulations caused an engine fire in the right engine cowl during the initial climb. The pilot shut down the engine, but the aircraft could not maintain a positive rate of climb and crashed to the ground.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain in Rainbow Lake

Date & Time: Jan 15, 1998 at 1935 LT
Registration:
C-FZBW
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Rainbow Lake – High Level – Edmonton – Calgary
MSN:
31-8152096
YOM:
1981
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3700
Captain / Total hours on type:
93.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
632
Copilot / Total hours on type:
277
Circumstances:
The Airco Aircraft Charters Piper PA-31-350 Chieftain, serial number 31-8152096, had been chartered by Northern Sky Aviation to complete a daily passenger flight from the Edmonton City Centre Airport to High Level, Rainbow Lake, Edmonton, and Calgary, Alberta. The flight from Edmonton to High Level and Rainbow Lake was uneventful. Following a routine landing and turn around, the aircraft departed Rainbow Lake in darkness, at 1935 mountain standard time (MST), on an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight to Edmonton. Shortly after take-off from runway 27, the aircraft collided with trees and terrain approximately 3 000 feet west of the departure end of the runway. The nine occupants sustained minor injuries and the aircraft was substantially damaged. Immediately following the evacuation of the aircraft, a Rainbow Lake passenger initiated the local emergency response by cell phone. Volunteer ground rescue personnel organized a snowmobile search, and a helicopter was dispatched from the airport to conduct an aerial search. The ground search was hampered by darkness, dense forest, cold temperatures, and deep snow. The helicopter pilot located the aircraft wreckage on his first pass over the departure corridor and, following his immediate return to the airport, he lead the ground rescuers to the accident site. Rescuers reached the accident site approximately one and one-half hours after the occurrence and assisted all of the survivors to the Rainbow Lake nursing station.
Probable cause:
The aircraft was inadvertently flown into trees and the ground, in controlled flight and dark ambient conditions, during a night departure because a positive rate of climb was not maintained after take off. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot’s concentrating on blue line speed rather than maintaining a positive rate of climb, the dark ambient conditions, a departure profile into rising terrain, an overweight aircraft, and crew resource mismanagement.
Final Report: