West Palm Beach

While in level flight the pilot reported both engines failed and all attempts to restart them were unsuccessful. The pilot then ditched the airplane in the ocean, and it sank and was not recovered. The pilot and three passengers were rescued 2 days later. According to fuel consumption estimates there should have been adequate fuel for the entire flight and a reserve.

Approximately 2 minutes after the flight (N84UM) had climbed and leveled at FL290, the ARTCC controller noticed there was no return from the aircraft's transponder. The controller transmitted an advisory, but got no reply. He made several more radio calls and received 2 replies. Later, a review of the radio transcript indicated the pilot's 1st reply was something about 'ice.' In his 2nd response to an inquiry from the controller about 'how do you hear me,' he replied 'good.' After that there was no further contact with the flight. Wreckage from the aircraft was found scattered over a 6 miles area, indicating an in-flight breakup. Pieces from the horizontal stabilizers were found from 2 to 6 miles from the main wreckage. The right wing was found 2 miles from the main wreckage and the left outboard wing panel was found about 1 mile from the right wing. During a preflight briefing, the pilot was advised of turbulences and icing conditions; he was told to expect light to moderate rime icing in clouds thru 15,000 feet, but the aircraft was equipped for flight in icing conditions. A check of the pilot's liver fluid showed a benzoylecgonine (cocaine metabolite) level of 0.136 mg/l. Both occupants were killed.

Witnesses stated that the aircraft was climbing and just after takeoff, the left wing dropped, the aircraft then leveled off, climbed approximately 75 more feet. The aircraft then abruptly turned hard left and went straight in, striking a wall surrounding a swimming pool, burst into flames and was consumed by post crash fire. Examination of the left engine revealed evidence that suggests that water was ingested into the cylinders prior to impact. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft descended into the water six and 1/2 miles southwest of Bridgeport, CT. The aircraft was on an ILS approach to runway 06. The aircraft was in communication with NY tracon arrival radar and on his initial call had indicated a desire for a clearance direct to Bridgeport. A brief radio exchange resulted in the desired clearance. There was no indication of any problems or low fuel state in the communication. Approximately 15 minutes after initial call, the controller was giving the final approach instructions to N100CT, after having used some turns and changes in airspeed to space the flight behind landing traffic, when radar and radio contact was lost. Post accident fuel calculations based on fuel aboard vs flight time en route and normal fuel consumption showed approximately 6 gallons of fuel remaining. The normal unusable fuel for this aircraft is 13 gallons which increases during maneuvering. Identifiable parts of the aircraft and some paper documents were recovered by the coast guard. The pilot's body was not recovered.

While on an over water flight, both engines lost power and the pilot ditched the aircraft at sea. Before ditching, the pilot reported that the aircraft was out of fuel, the ATC controller contacted a US Coast Guard helicopter that was on his frequency and requested assistance. The helicopter was flown to the ditching area and the downed personnel were rescued.

N75KW initiated takeoff from West Palm Beach at 19:40. The crew rejected the takeoff, reported that they had no airspeed indication and taxied back to the ramp. It appeared that both pitot tubes were covered or partially covered with a mud dauber's nest. The airspeed indicator then tested ok and the flight took off from runway 09L at 20:35. The crew were cleared to climb to 5,000 feet, to intercept Bahama Route 63V (BR 63V), and to proceed on course. At 20:49:23 Miami center cleared N75KW for the approach to Freeport and to cross the Halbi intersection at 4,000 feet. Around 20:57 Freeport approach control cleared the flight to descend to 1,400 feet for a VOR approach to land on runway 24 at Freeport, which was acknowledged. This was the last radio contact with the flight. The DC-3 descended into the sea in low ceilings, low visibility with moderate turbulence and thunderstorm activity.

The aircraft crashed into the Gulf of Mexico while en route to New Orleans, Louisiana, from West Palm Beach, Florida. Only the pilot and copilot were on board the aircraft. About 2 1/2 minutes after the aircraft was reported at Flight Level 430 in the vicinity of the Covia Intersection on Airway J58, the Jacksonville, Florida, Air Route Traffic Control Center received an unusual staccato sound transmission over the frequency, followed 18 seconds later by a report from the copilot, "Can't get it up...it's in a spin..." About 33 seconds after the first staccato sounds, radio and radar contact with N125NE was lost about 104 miles west of Sarasota, Florida. Floating debris were located by a search aircraft and later recovered; the flightcrew was not found. There were no known witnesses to the crash.

While in cruising flight between Andros Town and West Palm Beach, the pilot encountered poor weather conditions when the airplane crashed in unknown circumstances in the Florida Strait. SAR operations were initiated but no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found. The wreckage was not recovered.

On final approach to Boca Raton Airport, the pilot decided to initiate a go-around when the twin engine airplane struck power cables and crashed in flames short of runway. All three passengers were injured, two of them seriously, while the pilot was killed.

While in cruising altitude along the east coast of Florida, one of the engine failed. The pilot reduced his altitude and ditched the airplane off West Palm Beach. He was seriously injured while the aircraft was lost.