California

While on a night approach to Oxnard Airport, the twin engine airplane descended below the MDA then collided with a plowed field located six miles east of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

On approach to Long Beach, both engines flames out. The pilot attempted an emergency landing when the airplane struck power cables and a fence before coming to rest. All four occupants escaped with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The airplane departed Santa Barbara Airport at 0857LT, heading for a fire burning on the Los Padres National Forest. The airtanker arrived at the fire location and was given direction for the drop by the Incident Commander (IC). The IC instructed the airtanker pilots to keep the drop high because of steep terrain and snags. They were also instructed to drop only one-half the retardant, saving the remainder for another run. The airtanker pilots acknowledged the instructions. The airtanker pilots notified the IC that they were on final approach. As the airtanker approached the intended drop area, the IC noted from the sound of the engines that they were "revved up." He also heard cracking and popping sounds. When the airtanker came into his sight, the IC and another person noticed that the drop doors on the airtanker were not open and that the landing gear was retracted. The IC had worked with this airtanker and its crewmembers on several previous occasions. The IC noted that the airtanker was lower than he had expected, traveling at an air speed higher than he had observed on previous drops, and that the airtanker was in a descending attitude. The IC and one other person observed the airtanker continue past the intended drop site and then suddenly drop vertically approximately 50 to 100 feet. At that moment, the left wing tip (approximately half of the total left wing span) flexed downward, snapped off, and began cartwheeling along behind the airtanker. The airtanker began to roll left, its nose began to drop, it began to strike trees, and then it struck ground at 0927. The captain and copilot were fatally injured upon impact. The aircraft was totally destroyed.
Source: USDA & USFS

En route from Santa Ana to Oakland, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed north of Santa Maria, bursting into flames. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

In flight, the twin engine airplane suffered a wing failure and crashed near Edwards AFB. The aircraft was destroyed and all three occupants were killed.

At 1644 PST Flight 336 took off from San Jose for a flight to Santa Ana. 48 Minutes later, the crew received a clearance for a visual approach to runway 19R. While Flight 336 approached, the controller cleared Air California Flight 931 for a runway 19R takeoff. When recognizing the hazard, the controller ordered Flight 336 to abort the landing and go-around and Flight 931 to abort the takeoff. Flight 931 rejected its takeoff, but Flight 336 landed with the gear retracted. The 737 left the runway surface at 900 feet past the threshold and skidded another 1,170 feet before coming to rest 115 feet to the right of the centreline. The aircraft lost its both engines and came to rest, broken in two. All 110 occupants were evacuated, four of them were injured.

On approach to Rio Vista Municipal Airport, the pilot encountered low visibility due to fog and low ceiling. On final, the airplane was too low, struck the ground and crashed, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.

The pilot, sole on board, was completing an illegal flight to Santa Barbara when the airplane crashed in a mountainous area located on the San Clemente Island. The accident occurred in unknown circumstances and the wreckage was found seven months later on September 11, 1981. The pilot was killed. A load of 900 lbs of marijuana was also found in and around the wreckage.

While in normal cruise, the pilot reported severe icing conditions when both engines lost power. He attempted an emergency landing when the airplane crashed in an isolated area located near Newhall. Both occupants were killed.

While cruising under VFR mode in very bad weather conditions at an altitude of 13,600 feet, the pilot lost his orientation and became lost when the twin engine airplane struck the slope of Mt Shasta. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.