California

The pilot elected not to use the stored instrument flight plan, and he departed with a special VFR clearance. The flight was being followed by radar. After reaching visual flight conditions, the pilot proceeded toward his intended destination and climbed to 8,500 feet. Minimum safe altitude warning service was available, but not requested by the pilot. A review of radar data indicates that the airplane's track remained almost constant at 300° with a 160-knot ground speed. The last radar hit on the airplane occurred about 0.3 miles from where the airplane cruised into 8,500 foot msl terrain while still tracking along a northwesterly course. The accident occurred in dark, night time conditions.

A Beech liner, Boeing 757 and Israel Westwind (WW) were vectored for landings on runway 19R. The 757 and WW were sequenced for visual approaches behind the Beech. Before being cleared for visual approach, the WW was closing 3.5 miles from the 757 on a converging course. The 757 and WW crews were told to slow to 150 knots. The 757 slowed below 150 knots and was high on final approach with a 5.6° descent. The WW continued to converge to about 2.1 miles behind the 757 on a 3° approach. ATC did not specifically advise, and was not required by ATC handbook to advise, the WW pilots that they were behind a Boeing 757. Captain discussed possible wake turbulence, flew ILS 1 dot high, noted closeness to the 757 and indicated there should be no problem. While descending thru approximately 1,100 feet msl, the WW encountered wake turbulence from the 757, rolled into a steep descent and crashed. The crew lacked specific wake turbulence training. Chlorpheniramine (common over-the-counter anti-histamine; not approved for flying) detected in pilot's lung tissue (0.094 ug/ml).

The pilot, sole on board, was fighting a forest fire in the region of Columbia, California. The aircraft made a stable and level approach to the drop zone. After the retardant was dropped on fire, the pilot initiated a climb when the aircraft impacted trees, rolled to the left and crashed in an inverted position. The pilot was killed.

The pilot reported that about 20 minutes into the flight, the left engine lost power. He turned the left firewall mounted electric boost pump on and selected left aux tank. The left engine regained power. He selected the right engine to right aux tank. After 20-30 seconds both engines quit. He was unable to restart either engine and landed the airplane in heavy brush at about 40 knots. The faa reported the pilot stated that he mismanaged the fuel, and waited too long to switch tanks.

The company chief pilot/check pilot was giving a check flight to a company first officer (f/o). An FAA inspector was aboard to observe the check pilot's ability to give proficiency check flights. Soon after liftoff on the 2nd takeoff, the check pilot simulated an engine failure. The f/o, who was wearing a vision limiting device, allowed the airplane to drift to the left, but the FAA inspector noted that the f/o successfully regained directional control. The inspector then looked away from the cockpit, and when he looked back, the airplane was descending. Moments later, it collided with the ground. The FAA inspector reported that the check pilot was looking to the left, outside of the aircraft, and did not have his hand near the power quadrant. Review of the CVR tape revealed that, from the time the f/o was given the simulated left engine failure until impact, the check pilot did not say anything to the f/o. No maintenance discrepancy or material deficiency was noted during the investigation. The f/o had 3925 hours in this make/model of aircraft.

A Cessna 421 crashed after an inflight breakup. Investigation disclosed that the left outboard portion of the elevator assembly (including the balance weight) separated first, resulting in empennage flutter and subsequent in-flight breakup of the empennage. The left elevator outboard hinge and support structure exhibited evidence of hinge overtravel. The left horizontal stabilizer front spar had failed downward; rivets that attached the left outboard hinge to the rear spar of the left stabilizer had sheared; and the left elevator center hinge had been pulled off the rear spar. About 100 flight hours before the accident, maintenance was performed to repair the left elevator balance weight (which was loose) and to repair a damaged stiffener in the center structure of the horizontal stabilizer. However, when examined after the accident, the balance weight was tight and the repair to the stiffener was intact. All three occupants were killed.

The non-certificated foreign military pilot (first pilot) and a U.S. Certificated airline transport pilot (second pilot) planned to ferry an airplane to Australia with an intermediate stop in Hawaii. Auxiliary fuel and engine oil tanks were installed in the airplane. The airplane had been authorized a special airworthiness certificate for over gross weight operations for the ferry flight. The first pilot had accrued 50 hours and the second pilot accrued 25 hours in the accident airplane prior to the overweight departure. During the takeoff, the airplane became airborne at 100 knots of airspeed. The airplane pitched up and began to dutch roll. At about 50 feet above the ground, the airplane stalled and descended to the runway. A fire erupted in the cabin area.

A Cessna 414 collided with a tree in a mountainous residential area about 1 mile from the airport. Instrument meteorological conditions with 1/8 mile visibility prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed, but was not opened. The airplane departed under visual flight rules. The elevation of the collision was about 100 feet higher than the airport. The standard instrument departure procedures for the airport prescribe takeoff minimums of 3,500 foot ceiling and 3 miles visibility. The procedure requires a minimum climb rate of 425 feet per nautical mile, a right turn after takeoff to intercept a 002° radial off a VOR, and a climb to a specified altitude. The airman's information manual recommends that pilots climb to 400 feet agl before turning when executing standard instrument departure under IFR. The airplane was also determined to be about 400 pounds over maximum gross weight at the time of the takeoff. The wreckage examination disclosed no evidence of any pre existing aircraft or engine malfunctions or failures. All four occupants were killed.

The pilot and flight nurse were en route to pick up a medical patient. The airplane experienced an in-flight breakup while flying by the leeward side of the sierra nevada mountains in the general area where standing lenticular clouds had been observed. No evidence was found that the pilot obtained a weather briefing from flight service or the duat vendors prior to departure. Pilots flying in the general area had reported airspeed variances from plus 60 to minus 40 knots. An in-flight weather advisory for occasional moderate turbulence was in effect. About one hour after the accident the weather service issued a sigmet for severe turbulence. Cause: an inadvertent encounter with severe turbulence which exceeded the design strength of the airplane's structure. Both occupants were killed.

The pilot and his passenger, his son, departed from a controlled airport at 1436 hours. He climbed the airplane to about 5,200 feet mean sea level. Recorded communications between the pilot and the control tower did not reveal anything out of the ordinary. Radar data showed the pilot in a progressive climb to about 5,200 feet. After maintaining that altitude for over two minutes, the airplane descended at an excessive rate until it collided with the ocean about one mile offshore. The engines and propellers were recovered and examined. The engine examination did not reveal any pre existing discrepancies. The propellers had deep leading edge gouges, 'S' twists, and one broken blade. No pre existing deficiencies were found during the examination of the airplane's logbooks and maintenance records. Investigation did not reveal any reason for the airplane's rapid descent and its in flight collision with the ocean. Both occupants were killed.