Georgia

The pilot detected an unacceptable sink rate on short final approach and initiated a go-around. After applying power and retracting the landing gear, the left wing dropped and struck the runway. The aircraft then ground looped and came to rest with substantial damage. The pilot escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

During arrival at night, Beechcraft A100 (King Air, N44UE) was cleared for an ILS runway 26R approach behind Continental flight 9687, then Eastern Airline (EA) flight 111 (Boeing 727, N8867E) was cleared for the same approach behind the King Air. After landing, flight 9687 had a radio problem and the tower controller had difficulty communicating with flight 9687. Meanwhile, the King Air landed and its crew had moved the aircraft to the right side of the runway near taxiway Delta (the primary taxiway for general aviation aircraft). The turnoff for taxiway Delta was about 3,800 feet from the approach end of runway 26R. Before the King Air was clear of the runway, EA111 landed and converged on the King Air. The crew of EA111 did not see the King Air until moments before the accident. The captain tried to avoid a collision, but the Boeing's right wing struck the King Air, shearing the top of its fuselage and cockpit. Some of the King Air's strobe/beacon lights were inoperative, though they most likely would have been extinguished for the IMC approach. The local controller did not issue a traffic advisory to EA111 with the landing clearance. One of the pilot on board the King Air was killed while the second was seriously injured.

After taking off, the pilot established radio contact with departure control and reported a directional gyro problem. Seconds later, he reported that he was losing all instruments. Departure control attempted to provide no-gyro vectors. The pilot was instructed to make a frequency change. Soon thereafter, radio and radar contact were lost and the aircraft crashed. Before crashing the aircraft was observed in a rolling attitude. Wreckage was found scattered over a 600 feet by 150 feet area. An exam revealed the right wing had separated in flight. There was evidence that the right wing had failed in an upward (positive) direction. The pilot's attitude gyro was damaged during impact, but no rotational damage was noted. The pilot's attitude indicator and copilot's turn indicator were air driven, the pilot's turn indicator was dc powered and the copilot's attitude indicator was ac powered. The maintenance log did not have a current static/altimeter and transponder check. Both occupants were killed.

During takeoff, the aircraft rolled abruptly to the right after lift-off. Subsequently, the right wingtip struck the surface, then the aircraft cartwheeled and crashed. The fuselage was destroyed by a post-crash fire. An exam of the engines revealed that the right engine supercharger intermediate drive gear shaft had become worn and one of its gear teeth had failed from fatigue. There was evidence that an out-of-mesh condition occurred, which resulted in a partial loss of engine power during takeoff. Also, the aircraft was estimated to be 679 lbs over its max certified gross weight. Density alt was calculated to be about 2,000 feet. All six occupants were killed.

The crew arrived at the airport about 20 minutes before the planned midnight takeoff time, after the pilot-in-command had spent the day moving furniture. A night watchman noted that the preflight inspection and takeoff roll to rotation/lift-off was normal. There was no post-takeoff radio call to either unicom or ATC, although the crew had filed an IFR flight plan. After taking off from runway 36, the aircraft crashed about 1.8 mile north of the runway. The wreckage was found after interruption of electrical power to a nearby city. Initial impact was with trees, while in a shallow/left/descending turn. An area of trees about 1/2 mile long was damaged by impact and fire. Before coming to rest, the aircraft hit a powerline support tower. There was evidence the aircraft was traveling at about 260 knots, when it crashed. No preimpact part failure or malfunction was found that would have resulted in the accident. Both pilots were killed.

Eleven minutes after departure the pilot reported smoke and a right engine problem, then said 'going down'. Right wing and engine assemblies separated in flight. Fire damage vicinity of right engine left turbocharger; tailpipe assembly had separated. Heavy smoke and heat damage between right wing forward and aft wing spars. Tailpipe had failed in fatigue near flange where attached to turbocharger exhaust port. Evidence of non-uniformly seated gasket between flanges. Also, right engine lower left engine mount deteriorated; significant portion of rubber missing. Piper sb #818 (ad87-07-09) accomplished 5/21/88; requires removal and inspection of exhaust system for cracks and reinstallation with new flange gaskets.

As the pilot and 16 jumpers departed on a skydiving flight, the engine lost power at approximately 300 feet agl. The aircraft then banked steeply left, spiraled in a steep nose down attitude and crashed. An exam revealed fuel in the tanks was contaminated with water and foreign material with the appearance of brown algae. Milky fluid (approximately 65% jet fuel and 34% water) was found in the engine fuel control, as well as iron contaminants. Dark stringy material was found in the fuel filters. The aircraft had been refueled from 55 gallons drums which contained contaminated fuel. The drums were stored upright and rain water could leak thru the filler caps. N551CC had a history of fuel contamination which on occasions caused the fuel bypass indicator to display. Reportedly, the stall warning circuit breaker had been disengaged on other occasions, so as not to startle the jumpers; however, due to damage, its preimpact position could not be verified. Aircraft was estimated to be 370 lbs over its max weight limit and 1 foot forward of the cg limit. The nine pax seats had been removed to haul up to 18 jumpers. Pax seat belts were not used. Lack of FAA surveillance was noted. All 17 occupants were killed.

The aircraft lost power on right engine shortly after take-off. The aircraft crashed and burned in a wooded area several miles southwest of the airport. The right engine was severely damaged in the fire. No pre-impact malfunction could be documented. Examination of the propeller did not reveal damage consistent with that usually found when a propeller is in the feathered position. The flap jack screw was found in the 10-15° position. Both engines had a history of shut down at low power settings during taxi. The right engine had 'burbled' during the previous flight and the left engine shut down after landing.

The flight had not yet been scheduled when the pilot retired for the evening at 2230 to 2300 est. At 0230, he was awoken and notified to make a night cargo flight. The owner obtained a weather briefing and filed a flight plan, then briefed the pilot later. The pilot arrived at the airport at 0430. He preflighted the aircraft while the owner updated the weather briefing. The aircraft was cleared as filed with a clearance void time of 0500; the clearance was radioed to the pilot by unicom. During takeoff, at 0510, the aircraft was observed climbing northbound to aprx 800 feet agl in moderate snowfall with the landing light on. A short time later, the aircraft crashed approximately one mile northeast of the airport while in a steep nose down, right wing low attitude. No pre- impact part failure/malfunction was found. Reportedly, when the pilot 1st hired on, he exaggerated his flight experience; he had problems with instrument flying and was not scheduled for flights in marginal weather; and he was given extra help. At the time of the accident, snow was falling, mixed icing was forecast in clouds and there was a sigmet for moderate to severe turbulences below 8,000 feet. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

During gear retraction after takeoff, the right main gear became jammed in a partially retracted position and the respective in-transit gear light would not extinguish. Attempts to recycle the gear were unsuccessful. The flight crew diverted to Atlanta, GA; then decided to land at Dobbins AFB, where there was a long, wide runway that could be foamed. Foam was applied to approximately 300 feet of runway 29. The aircraft was landed with the nose and left main gear extended and the right main gear partially retracted. Subsequently, the aircraft veered to the right and stopped with the nose gear approximately 70 feet off the runway. Fire erupted in the area of the right main gear; however, the fire was quickly extinguished by fire dept personnel. An investigation revealed the clearance between the main landing gear door hook, pn 803845-1, and the strut roller was excessive. The reason for the improper clearance was not determined. Lockheed service bulletin 88/sb-558 warned that excessive clearance combined with a drop in hydraulic pressure, gust or maneuver could result in the gear jamming. All three crew members were uninjured.