New Mexico

The four engine aircraft departed Kirtland AFB on a test flight. While cruising at low altitude, the aircraft encountered turbulences and suffered a wing failure. It crashed in a hilly terrain located some 15,5 miles north of Magdalena. All 11 crew members were killed.

The two commercial rated pilots were returning from a part 135 flight at night. The fuel tanks were inadvertently not switched from mains to auxiliary. Fuel starvation occurred when aircraft was at low altitude. Insufficient altitude remained to restart the engines. Aircraft impacted ground. A post accident fire erupted destroying the aircraft. Both pilots were seriously injured.

The aircraft was landed in a pasture about 2 miles from the airport after the aircraft began to descend 'behind the power curve' after takeoff. The pilot said he used full power for takeoff but the takeoff was longer than normal. The da was computed to be 9,286 feet. After takeoff the pilot said he raised the landing gear but a witness disagreed. The flight then reduced power and as rpm was reduced, noted that the mp was only 24 inches. The aircraft began a descent which the pilot said could not be stopped with power so he landed gear down in a pasture. The aircraft collided with 2 ditches and a fence during the 1,500 feet roll. The engines were found to operate normally after the accident. All four occupants were injured, two seriously.

The pilot was flying his wife and her 4 friends to Aspen, CO for a ski vacation. Witnesses reported that during takeoff, the right baggage door opened. They observed the aircraft turn left onto a downwind with the landing gear extended. Eight witnesses reported the engines were producing power of varying degrees; two stated the left engine stopped running and two reported the right engine had a reduction of power or rpm. In the vicinity of where the pilot would have made a base turn, the aircraft entered a left descending turn, collided with the tops of trees beside a road, impacted in the roadway on an easterly heading, slid to a stop and burned. An exam revealed the gear was down, the left propeller was feathered and there was evidence the right baggage door was open. The throttle quadrant was found with the left throttle 2/3 forward, the right throttle full aft, the left propeller control in the feather position, the right prop control full forward and the mixtures at or near their forward positions. The flight characteristics of the aircraft were considered normal with the baggage door open. All six occupants were killed.

About 2 hours after departure, at 13,000 feet, the right engine fuel flow went to zero. The engine continued to operate indicating 24 inches of manifold pressure. All other instruments were normal but what looked like a brown stain developed on top of the right wing along the spar cap near the tip tank. Artcc was advised that a precautionary landing would be made at Raton and a rapid descent was begun. On final the right engine nacelle and wing locker turned brown. As the aircraft landed flames appeared on the right side of the fuselage and smoke entered the cabin. Both engines were secured and brakes applied. The brakes were inoperative therefore, the pilot steered the aircraft off the runway into a snowbank collapsing the nose gear. Within 15 mins most of the wreckage was consumed by the fire. Ignition source and fire origination point were not determined. All three occupants escaped uninjured.

The non-instrument rated pilot was on ferry flight from Bartlesville, OK to Ontario, CA. An en route stop was made at Tucumcari, NM, where the aircraft was refueled and 14 qts of oil was added to the left engine. The line boy who serviced the aircraft saw no visible oil leaks or spillage around the engine. While on the next leg of the flight, the aircraft crashed near interstate highway 40. Two witnesses that saw the crash stated rain was falling, the wind was blowing very strong and there were low ceilings. Reportedly, a squall line was moving thru the area and there was moderate to severe turbulence. An exam of the wreckage revealed the aircraft had crashed in a steep nose down attitude, with 20° to 30° left bank and at high speed. No preimpact, mechanical failures were found and both engines had evidence that they were operating during impact. The weather briefer said the pilot indicated he would fly around the area of precipitation and remain VFR. Radar info showed the pilot had been following the interstate highway and varying his alt between 7,900 and 6,300 feet msl. Both occupants were killed.

The aircraft crashed about half a mile southwest of the departure end of runway 32L. The runway had been illuminated at the time of takeoff with the aircraft making a left turn into an area that was not illuminated toward the mountains. It was a very dark night with an indistiguishable horizon southwestward toward the higher mountains. There were two brightly lit softball complexes located to the north toward the city. A weather study indicated probable moderate to severe turbulence and up and down drafts below 7,000 feet msl, and light to moderate wind shear from the surface up to 300 feet agl. A witness who saw the fireball stated she had lost control of her car because a gust of wind pushed her car into the other lane of traffic. Both occupants were killed.

Immediately after takeoff from Albuquerque Airport, the twin engine airplane stalled and crashed near the runway end, bursting into flames. Both occupants were killed.

En route from Tucson to Dodge City in good weather conditions, the right engine caught fire. The pilot shut down the engine and as he was unable to maintain a safe altitude, he attempted an emergency landing. The airplane belly landed in a field near Cliff and came to rest in flames. The pilot, sole on board, escaped uninjured while the aircraft was destroyed by a post crash fire.

Upon takeoff at Magdalena Airport, the twin engine airplane struck a fence and crashed in flames. A pilot was killed while three other occupants were injured, two seriously.