Crash of a Fokker F27 Friendship 500 near Kogatende: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 31, 2014 at 1945 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
5Y-SXP
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Mwanza - Nairobi
MSN:
10681
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The aircraft departed Mwanza Airport at 1926LT on a cargo flight Nairobi. While passing FL169, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent. It passed FL146 at an excessive speed of 430 knots and eventually crashed in an open field located near Kogatende. The wreckage was found the following morning. The aircraft disintegrated on impact and all three occupants were killed.

Crash of a Socata TBM-700 in Saint-Jean-les-Deux-Jumeaux: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 6, 2014 at 1030 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N129AG
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cannes – Courtrai
MSN:
171
YOM:
2000
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
3000
Captain / Total hours on type:
700.00
Aircraft flight hours:
1385
Aircraft flight cycles:
1219
Circumstances:
The single engine aircraft departed Cannes-Mandelieu Airport at 1040LT bound for Courtrai-Wevelgem Airport, Belgium, with four passengers and one pilot on board. About one hour and 40 minutes into the flight, while cruising in IMC conditions at FL240, the aircraft start a quick descent to the right until FL149. Speed increased and the overspeed warning sound came on. Forty-five seconds after the start of the quick descent, the airplane initiated a climb with a rate of 10,000 feet per minute until it stalled at FL201, still in IMC conditions. The airplane then entered a dive and went into a flat attitude when it went out of clouds at an altitude estimated between 1,000 and 2,000 feet. This altitude was insufficient to the pilot to regain control and without external visual references, he lost control of the airplane that crashed in a wooded area. The pilot and a passenger were killed while three other passengers were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Due to the absence of any flight data recorder, investigations were unable to determine with certainty the exact cause and circumstances of the accident.
Final Report:

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

Date & Time: Aug 6, 2014 at 0715 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
RA-17890
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Prototskiye - Prototskiye
MSN:
1G205-31
YOM:
1983
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Aircraft flight hours:
7503
Aircraft flight cycles:
38974
Circumstances:
The crew was engaged in a crop spraying mission on rice paddy field located in Prototskiye (Krasnoarmeisk district of the Krasnodar region). Two minutes after takeoff, while flying at a height of about 50 metres, the engine lost power. The captain attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft nosed over and came to rest upside down, some 2 km east of Prototskiye. Those parts of the fuselage which were above the water were consumed by the erupting fire and both pilots escaped uninjured.
Probable cause:
The accident with An-2 RA-17890 aircraft was caused by its nosing-over during the emergency landing at the submerged rice bay. The emergency landing was due to the engine power loss in flight caused by the destruction of the can type combustor of the exhaust collector and burnout of the carburetor intake valve with the following high-temperature gases ingestion in the intake areas of the engine carburetor. The fatigue destruction of the can type combustor of the exhaust collector was caused along the main crack near the intake flex socket, it started from the surface of the damaged inlet port under the tube attachment pin towards the exhaust collector. By the moment of the main crack formation both inlet ports in left can type combustor under the tube attachment pin towards the exhaust collector had intolerable damage and size. During the last overhaul of the engine exhaust system of An-2 RA-17890 aircraft the left can type combustor had intolerable damage in its attaching lug to the exhaust collector which wasn't eliminated. The destruction of the inlet port valve was caused by the fusion of the boundaries of it material grains in conditions of acute temperature exposure induced by the destruction of the left can type combustor wall towards the main crack. Inadequate material (aluminum alloy D-16) of the valve specified by the drawing of aluminum allow AL-9T contributed to the valve destruction.

Crash of a Boeing 777-2H6ER near Hrabove: 298 killed

Date & Time: Jul 17, 2014 at 1620 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
9M-MRD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Amsterdam – Kuala Lumpur
MSN:
28411/84
YOM:
1997
Flight number:
MH017
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
15
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
283
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
298
Captain / Total flying hours:
12385
Captain / Total hours on type:
7303.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3190
Copilot / Total hours on type:
227
Aircraft flight hours:
76322
Aircraft flight cycles:
11434
Circumstances:
Flight MH17 departed the gate at Amsterdam-Schiphol Airport, the Netherlands at 12:13 hours local time, bound for Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. It was airborne at 12:31 (10:31 UTC) from runway 36C and reached a cruising altitude of FL310 at 12:53 (10:53 UTC). Ninety minutes into the flight, at 12:01 UTC and just prior to entering Ukrainian airspace, the flight climbed to FL330. According to the flight plan, flight MH17 would continue at the flight level until the waypoint PEKIT, which is on the Flight Information Region (FIR) boundary between Kiev FIR (UKBV) and Dnipropetrovs’k FIR (UKDV). From waypoint PEKIT the flight plan indicates a climb to FL350 on airway L980 for the remaining part over Ukraine. According to ATC data, at 12:53 UTC the aircraft was flying within the Dnipropetrovs’k FIR, Control Sector 2, at FL330, controlled by Dnipro Control. At that time, Dnipro Control asked whether MH17 was able to climb to FL350 in accordance with the flight plan and also to clear a potential separation conflict with other traffic in the area. This traffic was Singapore Airlines flight SQ351 from Copenhagen, a Boeing 777, flying at FL330 and approaching from behind. The crew replied they were unable to comply and requested to maintain at FL330. This was agreed by Dnipro Control. As an alternative to solve the separation conflict, the other traffic climbed to FL350. According to ATC data, at 13:00 UTC the crew of flight MH17 requested to divert the track 20 NM to the left, due to weather. This also was agreed by Dnipro Control, after which the crew requested whether FL340 was available. Dnipro control informed MH17 that FL340 was not available at that moment and instructed the flight to maintain FL330 for a while. At 13:07 UTC the flight was transferred to Dnipropetrovs’k CTA 4, also with call sign Dnipro Control. At 13:19:53 UTC, radar data showed that the aircraft was 3.6 NM north of centreline of airway L980 having deviated left of track, when Dnipro Control directed the crew to alter their route directly to waypoint RND due to other traffic. The crew acknowledged at 13:19:56 hrs. At 13.20:00 hrs, Dnipro Control transmitted an onward ATC clearance to "proceed direct to TIKNA after RND", no acknowledgement was received. Data from the Flight Data Recorder and the Digital Cockpit Voice Recorder both stopped at 13:20:03 hrs. No distress messages were received from the aircraft. The airplane apparently broke up in mid-air as debris was found in a large area. The centre section of the fuselage along with parts of the horizontal and vertical stabilizers was found near Hrabove. The cockpit and lower nose section came down in a sunflower field in Rozsypne, nearly four miles (6,5 km) west-southwest of Hrabove. The L2 and R2 doors along with various parts of the fuselage were found near Petropavlivka, about 5 miles (8 km) west of Hrabove. At the point of last contact it was flying 1000 feet above airspace that had been classified as restricted by Ukrainian authorities as a result of ongoing fighting in the area. In the preceding days before the accident two Ukraine Air Force aircraft that were shot down in the region: a Su-25 and an An-26 transport plane.
Probable cause:
Causes of the crash:
a. On 17 July 2014, Malaysia Airlines operated flight MH17, an airworthy Boeing 777-200 with the registration 9M-MRD, in cruise flight near the Ukrainian/Russian border at 33,000 feet, under the control of Ukrainian Air Traffic Control and was operated by a competent and qualified crew.
b. At 13.20:03 hours (15.20:03 CET) a warhead detonated outside and above the left hand side of the cockpit of flight MH17. It was a 9N314M warhead carried on the 9M38-series of missiles as installed on the Buk surface-to-air missile system.
c. Other scenarios that could have led to the disintegration of the aeroplane were considered, analyzed and excluded based on the evidence available.
d. The impact killed the three persons in the cockpit and caused structural damage to the forward part of the aeroplane leading to an in-flight break-up. The break-up resulted in a wreckage area of 50 square km between the village of Petropavlivka and the town of Hrabove, Ukraine. All 298 occupants lost their lives.
Final Report:

Crash of an Antonov AN-26 in Izvaryne: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 14, 2014 at 1200 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
19 blue
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
97 10
YOM:
1980
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
8
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The aircraft was flying over the Luhansk oblast at an altitude of some 6,500 metres when it was hit by a surface-to-air missile. All eight crew members were able to bail out. The aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in an open field located in Izvaryne, near the Russian border. Four crew were uninjured, two others were taken prisoners by pro-Russian separatists and two others were killed.
Probable cause:
Shot down.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near Saint John Harbour

Date & Time: Jul 11, 2014 at 1550 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
C-FFRL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
St John Harbour - Sandspit
MSN:
482
YOM:
1953
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Shortly after take off from Saint John Harbour, the single engine aircraft went out of control and crashed on the shore of the Athlone Island, bursting into flames. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and all four occupants were injured.

Crash of a Britten Norman BN-2A Islander near Chirundu

Date & Time: Jul 6, 2014 at 1630 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
9Q-CYA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Lanseria – Lubumbashi
MSN:
617
YOM:
1970
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The crew departed Lanseria on a positioning flight to Lubumbashi where the aircraft was based. En route, the crew encountered engine problems and elected to make an emergency landing on the Lusaka - Chirundu Road. Eventually, the twin engine aircraft crashed in a cliff. Both occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-2 Beaver near Kennedy Lake

Date & Time: Jun 25, 2014 at 1425 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FHVT
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Sudbury - Kennedy Lake
MSN:
284
YOM:
1952
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
3500
Captain / Total hours on type:
1000.00
Circumstances:
The Sudbury Aviation Limited float-equipped de Havilland DHC-2 Beaver aircraft (registration C-FHVT, serial number 284) was on approach to Kennedy Lake, Ontario, with the pilot and 2 passengers on board, when the aircraft rolled to the left prior to the flare. The pilot attempted to regain control of the aircraft by applying full right rudder and right aileron. The attempt was unsuccessful and the aircraft struck rising tree-covered terrain above the shoreline. The aircraft came to a stop on its right side and on a slope. The pilot and the passenger in the rear seat received minor injuries. The passenger in the right front seat was not injured. All were able to walk to the company fishing camp on the lake. There was no fire and the 406 megahertz emergency locator transmitter (ELT) was manually activated by one of the passengers. One of the operator's other aircraft, a Cessna 185, flew to the lake after C-FHVT became overdue. A search and rescue aircraft, responding to the ELT, also located the accident site. Radio contact between the Cessna 185 and the search and rescue aircraft confirmed that their assistance would not be required. The accident occurred at 1425 Eastern Daylight Time.
Probable cause:
Prior to touchdown in a northerly direction, the aircraft encountered a gusty westerly crosswind and the associated turbulence. This initiated an un-commanded yaw and left wing drop indicating an aerodynamic stall. The pilot was unsuccessful in recovering full control of the aircraft and it impacted rising terrain on the shore approximately 30 feet above the water surface.
Final Report:

Crash of a Learjet 35A near Olsberg: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jun 23, 2014 at 1438 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
D-CGFI
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Hohn - Hohn
MSN:
35A-612
YOM:
1985
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
7505
Captain / Total hours on type:
3554.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3560
Copilot / Total hours on type:
745
Aircraft flight hours:
8259
Circumstances:
On 23 June 2014 at 1522 hrs the Bundeswehr (German Armed Forces) informed the German Federal Bureau of Aircraft Accident Investigation (BFU) that a collision involving a civil Learjet 35A (Learjet) and a German Air Force Eurofighter had occurred during aerial target demonstrations. According to the Law Relating to the Investigation into Accidents and Incidents Associated with the Operation of Civil Aircraft (FlUUG) accidents and incidents involving civil and military aircraft will be investigated under the responsibility of the BFU. The BFU immediately deployed a team of five investigators to the accident site. The BFU was supported by the Directorate Aviation Safety of the German Armed Forces (AbtFlSichhBw). The Learjet, operated by a civil operator specializing in manned aerial target demonstrations, had taken off at Hohn Airport and had initially been flying with a southern heading in accordance with Instrument Flight Rules (IFR). At the time of the accident the Learjet had changed to Visual Flight Rules (VFR) and was flying in airspace E with a northern heading. A formation consisting of two Eurofighters had taken off from Nörvenich Air Base with the order to conduct a so-called Renegade mission, i.e. the unknown civil aircraft had to be intercepted, identified, and accompanied to a military airport. After the collision with a Eurofighter, the Learjet crashed to the ground. The pilots of the Learjet suffered fatal injuries and the aircraft was destroyed. The pilot of the Eurofighter could land the severely damaged airplane at Nörvenich Air Base.
Probable cause:
The causes of the flight accident were:
Immediate Causes:
- During positioning for the intervention the collision risk due to unexpected manoeuvres of the intercepted airplane was not sufficiently taken into consideration.
- The Learjet crew did not take into account the risks due to possible limitations of the field of vision and the distraction by using the computer when deciding about the task distribution. Due to insufficient situational awareness during the intervention, the Learjet crew continued the turn with an excessive bank angle despite the loss of visual contact with the Eurofighter flying at the inside of the turn.
Systemic Causes:
- The operator had not specified in detail how the crew should distribute their tasks during Renegade exercises.
- Neither the operator commissioned to conduct the aerial target demonstration nor the Air Force had sufficiently described the Renegade training nor had a commensurate risk analysis been done.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-46-310P Malibu in Lehman: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jun 18, 2014 at 1635 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N2428Q
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Aspen - Brenham
MSN:
46-8508088
YOM:
1985
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
2258
Captain / Total hours on type:
188.00
Aircraft flight hours:
4799
Circumstances:
The private pilot was conducting a personal flight during day, instrument flight rules (IFR) conditions. The pilot checked in with an air route traffic control center, and, after radar data showed multiple changes in altitude that were not in accordance with the assigned altitudes, an air traffic controller queried the pilot about the altitude changes. The pilot reported an autopilot problem and then later requested clearance to deviate around weather at a higher altitude. The airplane passed through several sectors and controllers, and it was understood that the pilot was aware of the adverse weather due to the deviation information in the flight strip. The air traffic controller did not provide additional adverse weather information and updates to the pilot, as required by a Federal Aviation Administration order; however, general broadcasts of this weather information were recorded on the frequency the pilot was using before the accident. Multiple weather resources showed rapidly developing multicellular to supercell-type convective activity with cloud tops near 48,000 ft. Forecasts and advisories warned of potential strong to severe thunderstorms with the potential for moderate-to-severe turbulence, hail, lightning, heavy rains, and high wind. Radar data indicated that the pilot turned into the intense weather cells instead of away from them as he had requested. The pilot declared a "mayday" and reported that he had lost visual reference and was in a spin. Damage to the airplane and witness marks on the ground were consistent with the airplane impacting in a level attitude and a flat spin. No mechanical anomalies were noted that would have precluded normal operation before the loss of control and impact with the ground. The investigation could not determine if there was an anomaly with the autopilot or if the rapidly developing thunderstorms and associated weather created a perception of an autopilot problem. The autopsy identified coronary artery disease. Although the coronary artery disease could have led to an acute coronary syndrome with symptoms such as chest pain, shortness of breath, palpitations, or fainting, it was unlikely to have impaired the pilot's judgment following a preflight weather briefing or while decision-making en route. Thus, there is no evidence that a medical condition contributed to the accident. The toxicology testing of the pilot identified zolpidem in the pilot's blood and tetrahydrocannabinol and its metabolite in the pilot's cavity blood, which indicated that he was using two potentially impairing substances in the days to hours before the accident. It is unlikely that the pilot's use of zolpidem contributed to the accident; however, the investigation could not determine whether the pilot's use of marijuana contributed to the cause of the accident.
Probable cause:
The pilot's improper decision to enter an area of known adverse weather, which resulted in the loss of airplane control. Contributing to the accident was the air traffic controller's failure to provide critical weather information to the pilot to help him avoid the storm, as required by Federal Aviation Administration directives.
Final Report: