North America

Shortly after takeoff from Port Orange-Spruce Creek Airport Runway 23, the single engine airplane encountered difficulties to gain height, impacted trees and crashed on a golf course located south of the airfield. Both occupants were rescued, among them one was slightly injured. The airplane was destroyed.

The pilot departed Tampa Executive Airport at 1550LT on a cargo flight to Birmingham, Alabama. About two hours and a half into the flight, while approaching Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport from the southeast at an altitude of 5,800 feet, the pilot initiated a 180 turn in an apparent attempt to divert to Sylacauga Airport. Shortly later, the twin engine airplane impacted the ground and crashed into trees some 5 km north of Sylacauga Airport which is located 60 km southeast of Birmingham-Shuttlesworth Airport. The pilot was transported to local hospital but seems to be uninjured.

The pilot departed Modesto City-County Airport for a local solo flight. After takeoff from runway 10L, he reported technical problems with the engine and elected to return for an emergency landing. He completed a circuit south of the airport then returned in a left hand turn to join the runway 28R. On short final, he lost control of the airplane that crashed by trees, nearby the Tuolomne River, less than 500 metres from the runway threshold. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot was killed.

According to a preliminary review of airplane track data and pilot statements provided to law enforcement and the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the purpose of the flight was to pick up a sixth passenger at Willow Run Airport (KYIP), Detroit, Michigan, before continuing to Minneapolis, Minnesota. As the airplane climbed through about 6,000 feet mean sea level (msl) in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC), the pilot observed oil leaking from the right engine nacelle. About the time the airplane reached about 7,400 feet msl, the pilot noted a loss of right engine power. He secured the engine, declared an emergency, requested to divert to the closest airport, and the air traffic controller vectored the airplane for the RNAV RWY 11 approach at 7GA. The pilot successfully completed the approach and reported that the airplane touched down in the “first one-third” of the landing runway “about 120 knots with zero flaps.” The pilot determined that he would not stop the airplane before it reached the departure end of the 3,500-ft-long runway, but chose to continue on the ground rather than abort the landing with one engine inoperative and climb the airplane back into IMC for another instrument approach. The airplane overran the departure end of the runway, continued through the grass overrun, and impacted a hill and a fence before coming to rest upright about 600 feet beyond the runway end. All three landing gear collapsed and the airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage.

The pilot reported that while on approach for landing, the airplane started to lose altitude quickly. After the co-pilot noticed the high decent rate and the slow airspeed, he advised the pilot to add power. However, the airplane continued to descend and impacted terrain in a right wing and nose low attitude, about 30 yards short of the runway approach threshold, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.

Following an uneventful flight from Memphis at FL260, the pilot initiated the descent to Yoakum Airport, Texas. On final approach to runway 31, the single engine airplane went out of control and crashed in an open field located about one mile southeast of the airfield. A passenger was able to get out from the cabin and was slightly injured while all four other occupants were killed.

While taking off from Provo Airport runway 13/31, the airplane went out of control and crashed. Both passengers escaped with minor injuries while both pilots were seriously injured. One of them died from injuries sustained. The airplane was destroyed. It was snowing at the time of the accident.

The twin engine airplane was completing an ambulance flight from Kahului to Waimea, carrying two doctors and one pilot. While approaching Maui Island at night, the airplane went out of control and crashed into the sea some 15 miles south off Hana. All three occupants were killed.

The single engine airplane departed Nashua Airport, New Hampshire, on December 13 on a flight to Nuuk, Greenland, with an intermediate stop in Goose Bay. Due to poor weather conditions at destination, the pilot diverted to Seven Islands Airport, Quebec, where the couple passed the overnight. On the morning of December 14, the airplane departed Seven Islands Airport at 0820LT bound for Goose Bay. On final approach to runway 08 at Goose Bay-Happy Valley Airport, the pilot was cleared to land when the airplane impacted the ground and crashed 5 km short of runway. Both occupants were seriously injured. The next day, the pilot aged 52 died from injuries sustained.

After landing on runway 08 at Lewistown Airport, the twin engine airplane started to skid then veered off runway to the left. While contact a snow covered terrain, it slid for few dozen metres and came to rest with its left wing severely damaged. All three occupants evacuated safely.