Crash of a Cessna 340 in Lytle Creek: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 2010 at 1508 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 340
Operator:
Everett R. Arinwine
Registration:
N2217B
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Henderson – Compton
MSN:
340-0532
YOM:
1975
Location:
Lytle Creek
California
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
474
Aircraft flight hours:
3105
Circumstances:
The pilot was on a cross-country flight near mountainous terrain when he encountered clouds along the flight path. A comparison of recorded radar data and weather reports in the local area indicated that the pilot was maneuvering near the cloud bases in an area with low visibility and ceilings. Based on the erratic and circling flight path, it is likely that the pilot was having difficulty determining his location and desired flight track when the airplane collided with terrain. Post accident examination of the airframe and engine revealed no mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation.
Probable cause:
The pilot’s loss of situational awareness while maneuvering under a cloud layer and failure to maintain sufficient clearance from mountainous terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a PZL-Mielec M-28-05PI in Mulia: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 2, 2009 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
PZL-Mielec AN-28
Operator:
Registration:
P-4202
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Government
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Jayapura – Mulia
MSN:
AJE003-04
YOM:
2004
Location:
Mulia
Special Region of Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Jayapura-Sentani Airport on a flight to Mulia, carrying four crew members and a load of logistics support dedicated to the Puncak Jaya Police Department. While approaching Mulia in marginal weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located 33 km northwest of Mulia. The wreckage was found two days later and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain.

Crash of a Beechcraft C-12C Huron in the Nuristan Province: 3 killed

Date & Time: Oct 13, 2009
Type of aircraft:
Beechcraft C-12 Huron
Operator:
Registration:
78-23135
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Bagram - Bagram
MSN:
BC-71
YOM:
1978
Flight number:
Red Handed 56
Location:
Nuristan
Nuristan
Country:
Afghanistan
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Bagram AFB on a counter-narcoterrorism operation over the Nuristan province, carrying three crew members. In unknown circumstances, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain. The wreckage was spotted 7 days later and the rescuers arrived on site Oct 27. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.
Crew:
CIV Randolph Bergquist,
CIV J. B. Anderson,
CIV Jeff Lehner.
Probable cause:
It is believed that the accident was the consequence of a crew error (navigation error) or a possible technical problem. A possible hostile act was ruled out.

Crash of a Partenavia P.68C-TC in Canevare: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 2009 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Partenavia P.68
Operator:
Registration:
I-ATAT
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Positioning
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Reggio de Calabre – Parma
MSN:
254-14-TC
YOM:
1981
Location:
Canevare
Emilia-Romagna
Country:
Italy
Region:
Europe
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
En route from Reggio de Calabre to Parma, the twin engine aircraft crashed in unknown circumstances in hilly terrain near Canevare, about 50 km south of Modena. Both occupants were killed and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Casa 212 Aviocar 200 in Fonds-Verrettes: 11 killed

Date & Time: Oct 9, 2009
Type of aircraft:
Casa 212 Aviocar
Operator:
Registration:
FAU-531
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Survey / Patrol / Reconnaissance
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Port-au-Prince - Port-au-Prince
MSN:
187
YOM:
1981
Flight number:
UN146
Location:
Fonds-Verrettes
West
Country:
Haiti
Region:
Central America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
11
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Port-au-Prince-Toussaint Louverture (ex François Duvalier) Airport on a border patrol mission on behalf of the MINUSTAH, the United Nations Mission for Stabilization in Haiti. On board were nine passengers and two pilots, among them Uruguayan and Jordan soldiers. In unknown circumstances, the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located some 20 km west of Fonds-Verrettes. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all 11 occupants were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 340A near Quiripital: 3 killed

Date & Time: Sep 15, 2009 at 1730 LT
Type of aircraft:
Cessna 340
Operator:
Registration:
YV1451
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Valle de la Pascua – Charallave
MSN:
340A-0641
YOM:
1978
Location:
Quiripital
Miranda
Country:
Venezuela
Region:
South America
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Valle de la Pascua Airport on a private flight to Charallave. While approaching Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport, the crew encountered limited visibility due to low clouds when the aircraft struck the slope of a mountain located near Quiripital, about 15 km southeast of Charallave Airport. The wreckage was found the following day. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
The accident occurred after the crew suffered a loss of situational awareness while descending into IMC conditions.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Kokoda: 13 killed

Date & Time: Aug 11, 2009 at 1114 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
P2-MCB
Flight Phase:
Landing (descent or approach)
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Port Moresby - Kokoda
MSN:
441
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
CG4684
Location:
Kokoda
Central
Country:
Papua New Guinea
Region:
Oceania
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
11
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
13
Captain / Total flying hours:
2270
Captain / Total hours on type:
1970.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
2150
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1940
Aircraft flight hours:
46700
Circumstances:
On 11 August 2009, a de Havilland Canada DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, registered P2-MCB, with two pilots and 11 passengers, was being operated on a scheduled regular public transport service from Port Moresby to Kokoda Airstrip, Papua New Guinea (PNG). At about 1113, the aircraft impacted terrain on the eastern slope of the Kokoda Gap at about 5,780 ft above mean sea level in heavily-timbered jungle about 11 km south-east of Kokoda Airstrip. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces. There were no survivors. Prior to the accident the crew were manoeuvring the aircraft within the Kokoda Gap, probably in an attempt to maintain visual flight in reported cloudy conditions. The investigation concluded that the accident was probably the result of controlled flight into terrain: that is, an otherwise airworthy aircraft was unintentionally flown into terrain, with little or no awareness by the crew of the impending collision.
Probable cause:
From the evidence available, the following findings are made with respect to the collision with terrain, 11 km south-east of Kokoda Airstrip, Papua New Guinea, involving a de Havilland Canada DHC-6-300 Twin Otter aircraft, registered P2-MCB, and should not be read as apportioning blame or liability to any particular organisation or individual.
Contributing safety factors:
• Visual flight in the Kokoda Gap was made difficult by the extensive cloud coverage in the area.
• The crew attempted to continue the descent visually within the Kokoda Gap despite the weather conditions not being conducive to visual flight.
• It was probable that while manoeuvring at low level near the junction of the Kokoda Gap and Kokoda Valley, the aircraft entered instrument meteorological conditions.
• The aircraft collided with terrain in controlled flight.
Other safety factors:
• The copilot was assessed during normal proficiency checks for instrument approach procedures but was not qualified for flight in instrument meteorological conditions.
• The operator did not have a published emergency recovery procedure for application in the case of inadvertent flight into instrument meteorological conditions.
• The Civil Aviation Safety Authority Papua New Guinea surveillance of the operator did not identify the operations by the operator in contravention of Rule 91.112.
• The lack of a reliable mandatory occurrence reporting arrangement minimized the likelihood of an informed response to Papua New Guinea-specific safety risks.
• There was no qualified Director (or similar) of Aviation Medicine in Papua New Guinea (PNG).
• The lack of both flight data and cockpit voice recorders adversely affected a full understanding of the accident by the investigation.
Other key findings:
• The investigation was unable to discount the possible incapacitation of the copilot as a factor in the accident.
• Although not required by the aviation rules at the time of the accident, the adoption of threat and error management training for flight crews, and of the methodology by operators would provide a tool to identify and mitigate operational risk as follows:
– by flight crews, when flight planning and during flight; and
– by operators, when developing their operational procedures.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Oksibil: 15 killed

Date & Time: Aug 2, 2009 at 1100 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
PK-NVC
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Scheduled Revenue Flight
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Jayapura - Oksibil
MSN:
626
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
MZ9760D
Location:
Oksibil
Special Region of Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
15
Captain / Total flying hours:
8387
Captain / Total hours on type:
8387.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1207
Copilot / Total hours on type:
1207
Aircraft flight hours:
27336
Circumstances:
On the morning of Sunday, 2 August 2009, a de Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter aircraft, registered PK-NVC, operated by PT. Merpati Nusantara Airlines as flight number MZ-7960D, departed from Sentani Airport, Jayapura for Oksibil Airport. The flight was planned in accordance with the visual flight rules (VFR). There were 15 persons on board; two pilots, one engineer, 10 adult passengers and two infants. The estimated flight time was 50 minutes. The fuel on board was sufficient for 2 hours and 50 minutes flight time. About 15 minutes prior to the estimated time of arrival at Oksibil the crew of another aircraft informed the Twin Otter crew that the weather in the Oksibil area was partly cloudy. There were no further reports of radio transmissions from the Twin Otter, and it did not arrive at Oksibil. A search was initiated at the time the aircraft would have run out of fuel. On the morning of 4 August 2009, searchers located the wreckage of the Twin Otter at an elevation of about 9,300 feet about 6 Nm from Oksibil. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces, and all of the occupants were fatally injured.
Probable cause:
The pilots did not maintain visual flight procedures when flying below lowest safe altitude, and the aircraft was flown into cloud in the vicinity of gap north west of Oksibil. In conclusion, the accident was consistent with controlled flight into terrain.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage near Saint George: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 30, 2009 at 0708 LT
Type of aircraft:
Piper PA-46 (Malibu/Meridian/Mirage/Matrix/M-Class)
Operator:
Logan Investments of Nevada
Registration:
N927GL
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Private
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
North Las Vegas – Cedar City
MSN:
46-36400
YOM:
2006
Location:
Saint George
Utah
Country:
United States of America
Region:
North America
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
782
Circumstances:
Radar data indicated that the airplane departed for a cross-country flight, climbed to a cruise altitude of 9,700 feet msl, and maintained a northeasterly course of 050 degrees magnetic direct to its destination. About 11 minutes after takeoff, the airplane entered a 1,000 foot-per-minute descent. The airplane continued to descend at this rate until it impacted terrain at an elevation of 4,734 feet. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane was still on its northeasterly course towards the destination at impact. Ground scars at the initial point of impact were consistent with the airplane being wings level in a slight nose-down pitch attitude. No mechanical anomalies with the airplane or engine were identified during the airplane wreckage examination. A postimpact fire destroyed all cockpit instrumentation, and no recorded or stored flight data could be recovered. Weather conditions at the time were clear, and light winds. The pilot had some moderate heart disease that was noted during the autopsy. He also had a history of stress and insomnia, which was documented in his FAA medical records. Toxicology findings noted the use of a sedating and impairing over-the-counter medication (chlorpheniramine) that was taken at some undetermined time prior to the accident. The investigation could not conclusively determine whether the pilot’s conditions or medication use were related to the accident. The reason for the airplane’s descent to ground impact could not be determined.
Probable cause:
The pilot's failure to maintain terrain clearance during descent for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Wamena: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 29, 2009 at 1601 LT
Type of aircraft:
De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter
Operator:
Registration:
PK-BRO
Flight Phase:
Flight
Flight Type:
Cargo
Survivors:
No
Site:
Mountains
Schedule:
Dekai - Wamena
MSN:
756
YOM:
1981
Location:
Wamena
Special Region of Papua
Country:
Indonesia
Region:
Asia
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The twin engine aircraft departed Dekai Airport at 1530LT on a cargo flight to Wamena, carrying three crew members and a load of 1,600 kilos of various goods. Between 1554LT and 1600LT, the crew was in contact with Wamena. At 1601LT, while cruising at an altitude of 9,600 feet in limited visibility, the aircraft collided with a mountain slope. The wreckage was found a day later about 19 km southeast from Wamena. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into terrain after the crew was flying under VFR mode in IMC conditions. IFR approach to Wamena are not possible, VFR only.
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