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Crash of a Beechcraft A100 King Air in Vancouver: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 27, 2011 at 1612 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-GXRX
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Vancouver - Kelowna
MSN:
B-36
YOM:
1970
Flight number:
NTA204
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
7
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
13876
Captain / Total hours on type:
978.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1316
Copilot / Total hours on type:
85
Aircraft flight hours:
26993
Circumstances:
The Northern Thunderbird Air Incorporated Beechcraft King Air 100 (serial number B-36, registration C‑GXRX) departed Vancouver International Airport for Kelowna, British Columbia, with 7 passengers and 2 pilots on board. About 15 minutes after take-off, the flight diverted back to Vancouver because of an oil leak. No emergency was declared. At 1611 Pacific Daylight Time, when the aircraft was about 300 feet above ground level and about 0.5 statute miles from the runway, it suddenly banked left and pitched nose-down. The aircraft collided with the ground and caught fire before coming to rest on a roadway just outside of the airport fence. Passersby helped to evacuate 6 passengers; fire and rescue personnel rescued the remaining passenger and the pilots. The aircraft was destroyed, and all of the passengers were seriously injured. Both pilots succumbed to their injuries in hospital. The aircraft’s emergency locator transmitter had been removed.
Probable cause:
Findings as to causes and contributing factors:
During routine aircraft maintenance, it is likely that the left-engine oil-reservoir cap was left unsecured.
There was no complete preflight inspection of the aircraft, resulting in the unsecured engine oil-reservoir cap not being detected, and the left engine venting significant oil during operation.
A non-mandatory modification, designed to limit oil loss when the engine oil cap is left unsecure, had not been made to the engines.
Oil that leaked from the left engine while the aircraft was repositioned was pointed out to the crew, who did not determine its source before the flight departure.
On final approach, the aircraft slowed to below VREF speed. When power was applied, likely only to the right engine, the aircraft speed was below that required to maintain directional control, and it yawed and rolled left, and pitched down.
A partially effective recovery was likely initiated by reducing the right engine’s power; however, there was insufficient altitude to complete the recovery, and the aircraft collided with the ground.
Impact damage compromised the fuel system. Ignition sources resulting from metal friction, and possibly from the aircraft’s electrical system, started fires.
The damaged electrical system remained powered by the battery, resulting in arcing that may have ignited fires, including in the cockpit area.
Impact-related injuries sustained by the pilots and most of the passengers limited their ability to extricate themselves from the aircraft.
Findings as to risk:
Multi-engine−aircraft flight manuals and training programs do not include cautions and minimum control speeds for use of asymmetrical thrust in situations when an engine is at low power or the propeller is not feathered. There is a risk that pilots will not anticipate aircraft behavior when using asymmetrical thrust near or below unpublished critical speeds, and will lose control of the aircraft.
The company’s standard operating procedures lacked clear directions for how the aircraft was to be configured for the last 500 feet, or what to do if an approach is still unstable when 500 feet is reached, specifically in an abnormal situation. There is a demonstrated risk of accidents occurring as a result of unstabilized approaches below 500 feet above ground level.
Without isolation of the aircraft batteries following aircraft damage, there is a risk that an energized battery may ignite fires by electrical arcing.
Erroneous data used for weight-and-balance calculations can cause crews to inadvertently fly aircraft outside of the allowable center-of-gravity envelope.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft 200 Super King Air in Squamish: 2 killed

Date & Time: Jul 28, 2005 at 0840 LT
Operator:
Registration:
C-FCGL
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Vancouver – Smithers
MSN:
BB-190
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
NT202
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
2700
Captain / Total hours on type:
100.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
1200
Copilot / Total hours on type:
80
Circumstances:
A Raytheon Beechcraft King Air 200 (registration C-FCGL, serial number BB190) operating as NTA202 (Northern Thunderbird Air), departed Vancouver, British Columbia, at 0824 Pacific daylight time on 28 July 2005 for a visual flight rules flight to Smithers, British Columbia, with a crew of two on board. The aircraft did not arrive at its destination, and a search was commenced later that same day. The aircraft was found on 30 July 2005. The crash site was in a narrow canyon at an elevation of about 3900 feet above sea level, in an area of steeply rising terrain. Both occupants were fatally injured. A post-crash fire destroyed most of the aircraft. The emergency locator transmitter was destroyed in the fire and no signal was detected. The crash occurred at about 0840 Pacific daylight time.
Probable cause:
Findings as to Causes and Contributing Factors:
1. The aircraft was flown up a narrow canyon into rapidly rising terrain for reasons that could not be determined. The aircraft’s proximity to terrain and the narrowness of the canyon precluded a turn, and the aircraft’s climb rate was insufficient to clear the rising terrain.
2. The pilot decision-making training received by the crew members was ineffective because they were unprepared for the unique hazards and special operating techniques associated with flying low in mountainous terrain.
Finding as to Risk:
1. The company operations manual (COM) gave no guidance to the crew for the operation of a visual flight rules (VFR) flight, except for the provision that it should not be conducted closer to obstacles than 500 feet vertically and horizontally.
Final Report:

Crash of a Beechcraft D18S in Germansen Landing

Date & Time: Jul 26, 1984
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
C-FBCD
Survivors:
Yes
MSN:
A-611
YOM:
1951
Country:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
After touchdown at Germansen Landing, the twin engine aircraft was unable to stop within the remaining distance, overran and crashed in a ditch. All four occupants escaped with minor injuries and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 in Terrace: 12 killed

Date & Time: Jan 14, 1977
Operator:
Registration:
C-GNTB
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Prince George – Terrace
MSN:
463
YOM:
1975
Country:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
12
Circumstances:
On approach to Terrace Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions with snow falls. On final, the pilot-in-command failed to realize his altitude was too low when, at an altitude of 1,200 feet, the airplane struck a hill located about 3 km short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed upon impact and all 12 occupants were killed.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 200 off Destruction Bay: 7 killed

Date & Time: Sep 30, 1975
Operator:
Registration:
CF-MHU
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Destruction Bay - Whitehorse
MSN:
142
YOM:
1968
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
7
Circumstances:
Shortly after takeoff from Destruction Bay, while climbing, the airplane went out of control and crashed into Lake Kluane. All seven occupants were killed.