Cessna 208B Grand Caravan

The pilot was dispatched on a nonscheduled cargo flight to an airport other than his usual destination because it had a precision instrument approach, while his usual destination airport did not. The pilot elected to fly to his usual airport, and attempted a non precision instrument approach. The airport had both a VOR and an NDB approach. The NDB approach was noted as being out of service, although there was still a radio signal coming from the navigation aid. The pilot was cleared for the VOR approach, although instrumentation inside the cockpit was found set for the NDB approach, and radar track data disclosed that the flight path was consistent with the NDB approach path, not the VOR's. The airport's reported weather was 1.25 miles visibility, with a 200-foot overcast in mist. The airport's minimum NDB approach altitude is 652 feet above touchdown height. The airplane did not reach the runway, and collided with a pole and a building. Inspection of the airplane disclosed no evidence of any preimpact mechanical malfunctions.

The single engine aircraft was on a routine flight from Medellín to Tolemaida AFB with 3 crew members on board. On approach in poor visibility (mist), the aircraft struck the slope of Mt La Siberia located few km from the airbase and was destroyed. All three occupants were killed.

On final approach to Punta Pájaros Airport, the crew encountered poor weather conditions (stormy weather). He initiated a go-around and was trying to gain height when the single engine aircraft collided with bushes and crashed in a lagoon. All 14 occupants evacuated with minor injuries while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. Weather conditions were marginal at the time of the accident.

The single engine aircraft departed Polokwane on a charter flight to Madagascar with an intermediate stop in Vilanculos, carrying one passenger and two pilots. On final approach to Vilanculos Airport by night, the airplane collided with two palms and crashed 2 km short of runway. All three occupants were seriously injured and the aircraft was destroyed. Few hours after the crash, one of the pilots died from his injuries.

The single engine aircraft departed Goma on a humanitarian flight to Bunia, carrying one passenger, two pilots and a load consisting of 300 kilos of various goods on behalf of the World Food Programme. En route, the crew decided to follow a direct route via GPS instead of the one mentioned on the flight plan. While cruising at an altitude of 12,500 feet in poor weather conditions, the aircraft struck the slope of Mt Margherita (5,109 metres high) located in the Ruwenzori Mountain Range, western Uganda. The wreckage was found two days later and all three occupants were killed.

The airplane was operated by the manufacturer and was on a sales demonstration itinerary. On the accident flight the airplane was being repositioned following a demonstration and the two pilots included a commercially licensed manufacturer's sales pilot and a private licensed regional sales distributor. One of the two pilots onboard requested, and received, an abbreviated weather briefing prior to departure, the details of which included an airman's meteorological information notice (AIRMET) for occasional moderate rime ice. He then filed an instrument flight rules flight plan for a route passing over mountainous terrain, with a published Minimum En route Altitude (MEA) for the airway that was above the predicted icing level. The flight plan was not activated and the pilots told a TRACON controller who was providing VFR advisories that they intended to continue under visual flight rules through a mountain pass and open their IFR flight plan after reaching the other side of the pass where the MEA was lower. A review of the mode C reported altitudes flown by the pilots and an analysis of the cloud bases and tops revealed that the flight was likely in at least intermittent, if not mostly solid, instrument meteorological conditions as it flew through the pass. As the flight approached the other end of the pass, the controller advised the pilots that the radar showed they were heading into rising terrain. The controller asked, "Do you have the terrain in sight?" One of the pilots responded, "we're maneuvering away from the terrain right now." After that, radar contact was lost. Recorded radar data showed that the airplane made a righthand turn toward rising terrain while continuing to climb to an approximate altitude of 8,800 feet mean sea level (msl). The last minute of radar data showed the airplane at altitudes of 8,000 feet msl, 8,800 feet msl, and 8,600 feet msl. The last radar return was at an altitude of 7,300 feet msl. An aircraft performance study was accomplished using recorded radar data and aerodynamic data provided by Cessna. Based on the radar data and other relevant information, as the aircraft turned toward the rising terrain, the bank angle steadily increased, until a very abrupt change in pitch consistent with a stall occurred, and the airplane departed controlled flight and descended at a very steep nose down attitude into the mountainous terrain. The airplane wreckage was subsequently located at an elevation of 6,073 feet. Nearby ground witnesses first noticed the sound of the airplane, that then suddenly changed to a high pitched increasing rpm. Witnesses then saw the accident airplane coming out of the clouds almost straight nose down. The witnesses described the weather as cold with drizzling rain and reduced visibility due to the clouds. Examination of the wreckage revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction or failure.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 05 at Cuenca-Mariscal La Mar Airport, while climbing to a height of 300 feet, the engine failed. The airplane lost height, causing the nose wheel to struck the roof of a building. Out of control, the aircraft crashed onto a building occupied by a rubber company. Five passengers were killed while nine other occupants were seriously injured. There were no injuries on the ground. The aircraft was destroyed.