Colorado

The right front seat passenger, who is a private pilot, stated that the pilot did not use takeoff flaps. The aircraft lifted off at about 85 knots and immediately started buffeting. The aircraft then impacted a highway in a nose high, left wing low attitude and collided with a rock face mountain. According to the aircraft operating manual the rate-of-climb/maximum climb chart indicates that (with wing flaps up at a density alt of 6,000 feet) the aircraft required a climb speed of 103 knots. Flaps up lift off speed is 95 knots. All six passengers were injured while the pilot was killed.

At 1906 the flight was cleared to descend and maintain 7,500 feet, turn right to a heading 040 for an ASR approach to Pueblo Memorial Airport, and that the MDA is 5,200 feet. The flight read back "left to one forty five two zero zero." Approach control advised the flight that the heading was 040 and the flight acknowledged. There were no further communications with the flight. The aircraft was travelling in excess of an estimated 200 mph when it struck tundra in level flight on a heading of about 040. The copilot's autopsy revealed that the trachae, bronchi, and lungs contained aspirated gastric contents, including skeletal muscle fibers. Another company pilot reported that the copilot had vomited during a flight on November 14, 1982.

After taking off at approximately 2250, the aircraft was identified on radar and observed to climb on course to an altitude of 10,700 feet. The aircraft then descended thru 10,500 feet and the crew reported they would maintain that altitude. At about 2301 the aircraft was about 5 miles southeast of Colorado Springs and at 10,300 feet when radar contact was lost. The aircraft crashed in that area in a near vertical descent. The outboard 8 feet of the right wing had separated in flight and impacted about 1/4 mile from the main wreckage. The right aileron had sheared in 3 pieces also and was found near the failed wing. There was evidence that the the wing had yielded to a down and up loading (1 cycle) when it separated upward and rearward. All fracture surfaces had evidence of overload failures except the aileron control linkage which was further damaged on impact and could not be evaluated. Both pilots were using medication that was contraindicated for use by airmen and both pilots had little sleep during the previous 48 hours. Before the flight the pilot seemed agitated and the copilot had an odor of beer. Both occupants were killed.

A maintenance supervisor and two pilots noted that the left engine did not respond normally while being started. Aft starting, the pilot taxied to runway 10 for an IFR departure. Since the taxiway did not extend to the end of the runway, the pilot of another aircraft waited on the taxiway, just short of the runway, approximately 2,967 feet from the end. He observed smoke coming from the left engine of the MU-2 and reported this info on the unicom frequency. He reported that the MU-2 continued and rotated for takeoff approximately 200 to 250 yards east of his position. Reportedly, the aircraft climbed to approximately 300-400 feet afl, then turned left toward higher terrain. After turning, it enter what two witnesses described as a VMC roll, then crashed and burned. An examination of the airframe revealed no preimpact mechanical failures. A teardown of the left engine revealed that a turbine bearing, pn 3101092-1, had been misaligned and subsequently began to fail, damaging the 2nd and 3rd stages of the turbine section. The airport elev was 6,597 feet. The computed takeoff roll was 1,620 feet and the computed accelerate stop distance was 3,100 feet. The landing gear and selector found in down position. The aircraft was destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

The crew was completing a positioning flight from Pueblo to Carlsbad on behalf of Air Resort Airlines. While cruising at an altitude of 11,700 feet over a mountainous area under VFR mode, weather conditions deteriorated. Shortly later, the airplane struck trees and crashed. Both pilots were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

The aircraft was 20 feet agl during landing when the crew heard a propeller go into beta mode and the aircraft yawed to the right. The pilot lost control of the aircraft and it collided with a snow bank which separated the wings from the fuselage. Impact damage made it impossible to tell why the propeller went into beta mode.

On a night approach to Pueblo Memorial Airport while on a taxi flight from Denver, the pilot encountered technical problems with the power levers. The left engine was shut down then the airplane lost height, stalled and crashed on final. All four occupants were injured and the aircraft was destroyed.

While on a night approach to Durango-La Plata County Airport, the pilot decided to initiate a go-around. For unknown reasons, the twin engine airplane failed to gain sufficient height, struck trees and crashed in a wooded area located few miles from the airport. Two passengers were seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.

Following an uneventful flight from Shreveport, the crew started the descent to Eagle County Airport, Colorado. By a dark night and overcast ceiling, the crew failed to realize his altitude was too low when the airplane struck the slope of a mountain and crashed near Wolcott, about 13 miles northeast of Eagle County Airport. The airplane was destroyed upon impact and all seven occupants were killed.

The crew departed March AFB, California, on a night training flight. In the evening, while cruising at low altitude to simulate an aerial attack, the airplane struck a sand dune then crashed in a huge explosion in a prairie located few miles west of Las Animas. All eight crew members were killed.
Crew:
Cpt James L. MacGregor, pilot,
Cpt Gani Aydoner, copilot,
Cpt Clifford R. Duane,
1st/Lt Kendall E. Wallace,
Cpt Stanley H. Eddleman,
S/A Timothy E. McFarland,
A1c Bruce E. Schaefer,
A1c David W. Smith.