Michigan

After the pilot was cleared for an RNAV-B approach, the aircraft crashed on hilly terrain approximately 3 miles southeast of the airport at an elevation of 750 feet msl. Impact occurred after the aircraft had turned to the south-southeast and was descending. Minimum descent altitude (MDA) for the approach was 1,680 feet. No preimpact mechanical problems were found. Approximately 4 hours before takeoff, FSS personnel provided a weather briefing. There was no weather reporting station at the destination, but the area forecast was for marginal VMC with isolated visibilities of 3 to 5 miles in light snow showers. Pellston (approximately 25 miles away) was forecast for a chance of 1,200 feet overcast and 3 miles visibility with light snow showers, but this info was not given to the pilot. Later, when the pilot filed an IFR flight plan, he did not update his weather briefing. While en route, he checked the Pellston and Traverse City weather and was advised they had indefinite or obscured ceilings of 1,500 feet or less with gusty winds and light snow squalls. According to witnesses, there were snow showers or squalls in the accident area with 1/4 to 3/4 miles visibility. The missed approach procedure called for: right climbing turn to 3,000 feet, proceed to the IAF (8 miles south of airport) and hold. Both occupants were killed.

About 2050 on March 13, 1986, Simmons Airlines flight 1746, an Embraer Bandeirante, EMB-110P1, operating as a regularly scheduled flight, departed the Detroit Metropolitan Airport en route to Sault Ste Marie, Michigan, with a stop in Alpena, Michigan. The en route portion of the flight to Alpena was uneventful. However, due to the prevailing instrument meteorological conditions, the crew was unable to complete the instrument landing system (ILS) approach and land and they declared a missed approach at 2142. At 2153, the flight was cleared for a second ILS approach to Alpena. At 2156, the crew acknowledged that radar services were being terminated. This was the last transmission from the airplane. About 2215, a motorist reported that the airplane had
crashed. The airplane was found in a wooded area about 300 feet to the left of the extended centerline, and 1 1/2 miles short of the threshold of runway 01 at Alpena. The airplane was destroyed and two of the seven passengers and one of the two crewmembers onboard were killed.

At rotation the right engine failed. The aircraft entered a skidding turn to the right and continued to climb to about 100 feet agl. During the turn 110° from takeoff. Heading aircraft rolled inverted and descended into a car port. Extensive post impact fire destroyed aircraft, car port and three vehicles. Gear was not retracted and propellers was not feathered. During post accident exam of the right engine extensive internal damage was found. Both occupants were killed.

During arrival, the pilot reported a problem with his #1 nav, but said he would try to make an ILS approach. He said he would return to Pontiac, if his ILS did not work. ARTCC cleared him for the ILS runway 32 approach and instructed him to contact Pellston radio (FSS). At 1525, he called the FSS and reported he was 20 miles south. At approximately 1534, the FSS specialist heard an aircraft fly over, but did not know if it was N24RT. He asked the pilot if he was making a missed approach. The pilot gave a negative reply and reported he was picking up the glide slope, then said he was having trouble with his #1 nav. A witness about 6 miles north and west of the airport saw the aircraft on a northerly heading at about 200 feet agl. About one minute later, the aircraft collided with trees, crashed and burned approximately 8 miles from the airport at an approximately elevation of 900 feet. The airport elevation was 720 feet. The nav equipment was too badly damaged during the accident to be tested. According to the aircraft radio log, the last VOR check was on 9/10/83. The pilot had logged 5.4 hours of instrument time during the previous 6 months, but had not logged any approaches. All five occupants were killed.

A 100-feet ceiling with 3,000 feet RVR existed at Detroit. The pilot attempted an ILS approach with a 200 feet dh when he struck trees one mile from the runway. He flew the aircraft to the airfield but crashed near the threshold. The only approach plates found onboard were for Detroit and Midway in Chicago. Midway was his final destination after Detroit. He did not have enough fuel to get to Midway. The rest of his approach plates were later found in his personal vehicle back in Pennsylvania. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was cleared for an NDB approach to Cadillac. The weather was 300 feet overcast, one mile visibility. Shortly after cancelling IFR the aircraft crashed on the opposite side of the airport from the approach end of the runway. The pilot activated runway lights were never turned on during the approach. It was a newly commissioned system not yet on approach plates. They were on a notam. An ntap revealed that the aircraft was following the rnav final approach course rather than the NDB final approach course. In addition, a lighted christmas tree farm was located adjacent to the airport. Lastly, no evidence of mechanical malfunction could be found in the wreckage. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft took off and climbed to 5,000 feet uneventfully. It then dropped off radar and subsequently impacted the ground in a flat upright attitude. A post-crash fire consumed the majority of the airframe. Engine and prop teardowns indicated no abnormalities and power at the time of impact. A fire in the cargo compartment was ruled out by ATF investigators. Main electrical switches were found off in the wreckage. An oxygen bottle in the nose caught fire separately from the rest of the aircraft but it could not be determined if the oxygen fire took place in the air or after impact. The door warning, left and right alt out, left and right hyd flow and left and right low fuel annunciator bulbs exhibited stretched filaments when examined following the crash. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The pilot attempted a VOR approach and missed. He advised ATC he was going to attempt the NDB and if he could not see the runway he would go to metro at Detroit or Pontiac. On the NDB approach the aircraft struck trees 960 feet below the MDA. The aircraft flipped over landing on the nose and top of the fuselage. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft collided with trees during the initial takeoff climb from runway 27 at Oakland-Troy Airport, Troy, MI, while on a corporate flight. Investigation revealed that approximately 3 to 5 inches of snow had fallen at the airport during the day and the snow had not been removed from the runway that evening. A witness reported there was 5 inches of snow on the runway and it was snowing at the time of the accident. The pilot reported that 'shortly after takeoff the aircraft yawed, then veered right. Upon correcting this condition left wing struck the ground.' When the right engine was tested a small leak was discovered at the air intake manifold. The left engine was severely damaged by fire and could not be tested. All four occupants escaped uninjured.

The aircraft departed the airport with one dry air pump inoperative and the other pump reading low. Aircraft control was lost during an instrument approach in IMC approximately 2.5 hours later. Both pump driveshafts were found sheared in the wreckage and both broken shaft surfaces showed polished surfaces. During further testing it was discovered that tape or pipe dope had been used in the threading of the intake and outflow fittings of the left pump. No contaminants were found in the right pump but the pump wall inner surfaces gap was approximately .005 inch. This gap is approx 50% over the allowable tolerance for a serviceable air pump. The pressure regulator valve to the attitude indicator gyro and the compass gyro were examined and found to require pressure exceeding normal requirement standards. Both occupants were killed.