code

CA

Crash of a Cessna 550 Citation II in Temecula: 6 killed

Date & Time: Jul 8, 2023 at 0414 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N819KR
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Las Vegas - Temecula
MSN:
550-0114
YOM:
1979
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
6
Circumstances:
On approach to Temecula-French Airport Runway 36 at night, the crew encountered foggy conditions. Due to poor visibility, the crew initiated a go around then made a right hand turn and followed a circuit for a second attempt to land. On short final, at a speed of approximately 130 knots, the airplane impacted the ground and crashed short of runway, bursting into flames. The airplane was totally destroyed and all six occupants were killed.

Crash of a Viking Air DHC-6 Twin Otter 400 off Half Moon Bay: 2 killed

Date & Time: May 20, 2023 at 1415 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N153QS
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Santa Rosa - Honolulu
MSN:
869
YOM:
2013
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Santa Rosa-Sonoma County Airport on a ferry flight to Honolulu, carrying two pilots. It crashed in unknown circumstances into the Pacific Ocean some 54 km west of Half Moon Bay. No trace of the aircraft or the crew was found.

Crash of a Learjet 36A off San Clemente NAS: 3 killed

Date & Time: May 10, 2023 at 0755 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N56PA
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Point Mugu - Point Mugu
MSN:
36-023
YOM:
1976
Flight number:
Fenix 01
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Circumstances:
The airplane was engaged in a mission on behalf of the US Navy (callsign Fenix 01) when it crashed in unknown circumstances into the sea about a mile southwest off San Clemente Island NAS. Few debris were found floating on water and all three crew members were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 414 Chancellor in Modesto: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jan 18, 2023 at 1307 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N4765G
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Modesto - Modesto
MSN:
414-0940
YOM:
1977
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
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.

Crash of a Learjet 36 at North Island NAS

Date & Time: Sep 9, 2022 at 1314 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N26FN
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
North Island - North Island
MSN:
36-011
YOM:
1975
Flight number:
FST26
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane departed North Island-Halsey Field NAS at 1222LT on a combined exercice on behalf of the US Navy under callsign FST26. Less than an hour later, the crew initiated the approach to runway 36 in rain falls. After touchdown, the airplane failed to stop within the remaining distance, overran, went down an embankment and came to rest on a beach. Both pilots were slightly injured.

Crash of a Cessna 340A in Watsonville: 2 killed

Date & Time: Aug 18, 2022 at 1456 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N740WJ
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Turlock – Watsonville
MSN:
340A-0740
YOM:
1979
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Circumstances:
On final approach to Watsonville Airport, at a height of 200 feet, the twin engine airplane collided with a private Cessna 152 registered N49931 and carrying one pilot. Following the collision, the Cessna 152 crashed in a grassy area near the runway, bursting into flames. The Cessna 340 crashed on the runway, veered off and came to rest into a hangar. All three occupants in both aircraft were killed.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan in Oceanside: 1 killed

Date & Time: Jun 3, 2022 at 1346 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N7581F
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Oceanside - Oceanside
MSN:
208B-0389
YOM:
1994
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
The single engine was completing local skydiving flights out from Oceanside Airport. On final approach to runway 25, the airplane apparently stalled and crashed against an embankment located about 400 metres short of runway. The pilot was seriously injured and the jumpmaster was killed.

Crash of a Learjet 35A in Santee: 4 killed

Date & Time: Dec 27, 2021 at 1914 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N880Z
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Santa Ana - Santee
MSN:
35A-591
YOM:
1985
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Circumstances:
On December 27, 2021, about 1914 Pacific standard time, a Gates Learjet Corporation 35A, N880Z, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident near El Cajon, California. The 2 pilots, and 2 flight nurses were fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 repositioning flight. Earlier in the day, the flight crew had flown from Lake Havasu City Airport (HII), Lake Havasu, Arizona, to John Wayne / Orange County Airport (SNA), Santa Ana, California, for a patient transfer. They departed SNA about 1856 to reposition to their home base at Gillespie Field (SEE), El Cajon, California. Review of preliminary communication recordings revealed that at 1908:23, the pilot contacted the SEE Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT) and reported to the controller they were on the GPS approach to runway 17. The controller issued the current wind and cleared the pilot to land on runway 17. At 1912:03, the pilot reported the airport in sight and requested to squawk VFR. The controller did not acknowledge the request to squawk VFR, however, he reissued the landing clearance for runway 17. At 1912:13, the pilot requested to land on runway 27. The controller asked the pilot if they wanted to cancel their IFR flight plan, to which the pilot replied, “yes sir.” The controller acknowledged that the IFR cancelation was received and instructed the pilot to overfly the field and enter left traffic for runway 27R and cleared them to land runway 27R. At 1912:30, the pilot requested that the runway lights for runway 27R be increased, however, the controller informed them that the lights were already at 100 percent. Preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance-Broadcast (ADS-B) data showed that after departure from SNA, the flight made a left turn out over the waters of the Pacific Ocean and flew generally south – southeast along the coast and ascended to a cruise barometric altitude of about 11,000 ft sea level (MSL). After the flight passed Carlsbad, California, the airplane turned left and began to descend toward SEE. As shown in figure 1, ADS-B data showed that the airplane overflew SEE at a barometric altitude of about 775 ft MSL (407 ft above ground level) and entered a left downwind for runway 27R. While on the downwind leg, the airplane descended to a barometric altitude of 700 ft MSL, then ascended to a barometric altitude of 950 ft MSL while on the base leg. The last recorded ADS-B target was at 1914:09, at a barometric altitude of 875 ft MSL. Examination of the accident site revealed that the airplane struck a set of power lines and subsequently impacted the yard of a residential home about 1.43 nautical miles east of the approach end of runway 27R. The airplane came to rest upright on a heading of about 118°, at an elevation of about 595 ft msl. The wreckage debris path was oriented on a heading of about 310° and was about 186 ft long and 90 ft wide. All major structural components of the airplane were located throughout the wreckage debris path. The wreckage was recovered to a secure location for further examination. At 1855, recorded weather data at SEE showed weather conditions were variable wind at 5 knots, visibility of 3 statute miles, mist, broken cloud layer at 2,000 ft, overcast cloud layer at 2,600 ft, temperature of 10° C, dew point temperature of 8° C, and an altimeter setting of 29.98 inches of mercury. No precipitation was indicated. At 1955, SEE reported a variable wind of 5 knots, visibility 3 statute miles, mist, broken cloud layer at 1,100 ft, overcast cloud layer at 2,600 ft, temperature of 10°C, dew point temperature of 8°C, and an altimeter setting of 29.96 inches of mercury. No precipitation was indicated.

Crash of a PZL-Mielec AN-2T in Alta Mesa

Date & Time: Oct 14, 2021 at 1600 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N857PF
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Alta Mesa – Reno
MSN:
1G108-57
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
9811
Captain / Total hours on type:
70.00
Aircraft flight hours:
3500
Circumstances:
The pilot stated that the departure started normally but that, after becoming airborne, the airplane controls were not responding to his inputs as expected. The airplane continued to pitch up in a nose-high attitude and he was unable to push the control yoke forward, which he described as feeling like he was “stretching” cables with forward pressure. With the airplane’s pitch uncontrollable, he elected to make a rapid maneuver toward an unpopulated area. The airplane descended into trees; after coming to a stop, a fire erupted. A postaccident examination of the flight control system revealed no definitive evidence of preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures. Because the elevator system was extensively damaged and was partially consumed by fire, the investigation was not able to determine the cause of the pitch control anomaly. The airplane’s weight and center of gravity (CG) could not be confirmed. The burned remains of items found in the airplane could not be identified and the location of those items at impact could not be confirmed.
Probable cause:
The pilot’s inability to control the airplane’s pitch during departure for reasons that could not be determined because of the extensive fragmentation and thermal damage the airplane sustained in the accident sequence.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 340A in Santee: 2 killed

Date & Time: Oct 11, 2021 at 1214 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N7022G
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Yuma – San Diego
MSN:
340A-0695
YOM:
1979
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
2
Captain / Total flying hours:
1566
Circumstances:
The pilot was on a cross-country flight, receiving vectors for an instrument approach while in instrument meteorological conditions (IMC). The approach controller instructed the pilot to descend to 2,800 ft mean sea level (msl) until established on the localizer, and subsequently cleared the flight for the instrument landing system (ILS) approach to runway 28R, then circle to land on runway 23. About 1 minute later, the controller told the pilot that it looked like the airplane was drifting right of course and asked him if he was correcting back on course. The pilot responded “correcting, 22G.” About 9 seconds later, the pilot transmitted “SoCal, is 22G, VFR runway 23” to which the controller told the pilot that the airplane was not tracking on the localizer and subsequently canceled the approach clearance and instructed the pilot to climb and maintain 3,000 ft. As the pilot acknowledged the altitude assignment, the controller issued a low altitude alert, and provided the minimum vectoring altitude in the area. The pilot acknowledged the controller’s instructions shortly after. At this time, recorded advanced dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data showed the airplane on a northwesterly heading at an altitude of 2,400 ft msl. Over the course of the following 2 minutes, the controller issued multiple instructions for the pilot to climb to 4,000 ft, which the pilot acknowledged; however, ADS-B data showed that the airplane remained between 2,500 ft and 3,500 ft. The controller queried the pilot about his altitude and the pilot responded, “2,500 ft, 22G.” The controller subsequently issued a low altitude alert and advised the pilot to expedite the climb to 5,000 ft. No further communication was received from the pilot despite multiple queries from the controller. ADS-B data showed that the airplane had begun to climb and reached a maximum altitude of 3,500 ft before it began a descending right turn. The airplane remained in the right descending turn at a descent rate of about 5,000 ft per minute until the last recorded target at 900 ft msl, located about 1,333 ft northwest of the accident site. The airplane and two houses were destroyed. The pilot and the driver of a UPS truck were killed. Two other people on the ground were injured.
Probable cause:
Loss of control due to spatial disorientation.
Final Report: