Cessna 402

Shortly after reaching a cruising altitude of 9,500 feet, the aircraft's course was observed on radar to change from southeasterly to southwesterly. Its average ground speed decreased from 170 knots to 108 knots during this track change. The pilot called ATC with his call sign, and about five seconds later, an unintelligible, one-second-long transmission was heard. At that same time, radar information showed the aircraft at 8,800 feet. Radar and radio contact were lost shortly thereafter. Three days later, wreckage was found where the aircraft had crashed. The crash site was 1,820 feet above sea level and 1/2 mile south-southwest of its last observed radar position; the aircraft's average descent angle from the 8,800-foot-altitude position to the crash site was about 51 degrees. The aircraft was extensively damaged during impact. No damage was noted on tall trees that surrounded the accident site. Also, no preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure of the aircraft or engines was found, and no pre-accident impairment of the pilot was found.

The aircraft departed at night from runway 4R on a flight to transport mail. The pilot-in-command (PIC) was in the left seat, a pilot-rated cargo loader was in the right seat, and another cargo loader was aboard the aircraft, but was not in a seat. During takeoff, the aircraft entered a turn and flew into gradually rising terrain. The initial impact point was about 15 feet higher than the runway elevation and about 0.3 miles abeam the departure end of the runway. Investigation revealed that the company allowed pilot-rated cargo loaders to fly the aircraft from the right seat during positioning and ferry flight segments (to build multiengine flight time) as part of their compensation. There was evidence that at the time of the accident, the aircraft was being piloted on this flight from the copilot's position. The right side of the instrument panel was equipped with only EGT gauges (no flight instruments on the copilot's side). There were cloud layers in the vicinity, no moon illumination, and no visible ground lighting in the direction of flight. No preimpact mechanical malfunction or failure was identified during the investigation. Except at the pilot and copilot positions, the airplane had no other seat and/or restraint system. The operator stated that the pilot was not authorized to carry company personnel or passengers without the required seating.

For unknown reasons, the aircraft belly landed and was damaged beyond repair. There were no casualties.

After takeoff at dawn on a foggy morning, the airplane collided with electrical transmission wires about one mile from the end of the runway, on an extended line about 50 degrees left of the extended runway centerline. The left wing tip fuel tank (left main) was partially severed from the airplane, breaching the tank. Additionally, the top of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were severed, and a portion of the windscreen was separated. A suggestion was made by the operator that the autopilot trim may have been improperly set, precipitating a nose pitch down upon engagement of the autopilot during the climb. The airplane continued to fly for about 20 minutes, then impacted in a steep right wing down attitude into a densely wooded area that was surrounded by open terrain. The ensuing fire precluded any determination of engine malfunction, systems' discrepancies, or wire strike damage to the left propeller. No determination of pilot incapacitation was possible because of the post impact fire. Based upon the ground witness statement, the left engine was probably inoperative following the wire strike. The impact attitude was inconsistent with a decreasing speed loss of control with the left engine inoperative. However, the flight control trim settings, left main fuel tank selected, and throttle quadrant settings all may have been indicative of pilot incapacitation that precluded proper emergency procedure response. Additionally, the airplane impacted into a densely wooded area surrounded by flatter terrain absent of tall obstacles.

The Cessna 402, with five persons on board, took off from Auburn, Indiana, USA, around 0630 local time (1130 Coordinated Universal Time (UTC)) for Schefferville, Quebec, with stops en route. Their final leg was from Montreal International (Dorval) to Schefferville, with Wabush, Newfoundland, as the alternate, and they took off at 1523 EDT (1923 UTC). The flights were conducted in accordance with instrument flight rules (IFR). While in cruising flight and west of Wabush, the pilot requested the weather conditions for Schefferville and Wabush. Because of poor conditions in Schefferville, the pilot decided to fly to his alternate, Wabush. During the ILS approach for runway 01, the aircraft was too high to complete the approach, and the pilot requested and received clearance to execute another one. During the missed approach, the pilot proceeded an unknown distance outbound and turned back toward the airport. During the inbound leg, the aircraft contacted trees on the side of a mountain, at an indicated altitude of 2,460 feet asl, and decelerated over a distance of about 900 feet. The aircraft came to rest 23 nautical miles north of the airport, on the extended centre line of runway 01, on a heading of 186 degrees magnetic. The aircraft crashed probably at just after 1907 ADT (2207 UTC) during the hours of darkness. All five occupants were injured.

On September 13, 1995, about 2030 eastern daylight time N69303, a Cessna 402B, registered to and operated by Bimini Air Charter Inc. crashed near Marsh Harbour, Bahamas while on a 14 CFR Part 129 on-demand, international, passenger flight. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time and no flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The pilot and four passengers were fatally injured, and four passengers were seriously injured. the flight originated from Bimini, Bahamas, about 1935 the same day. The intended destination was Mores Cay, but one of the survivors stated the pilot could not find the island and diverted to Marsh Harbour.

The aircraft crashed on a visual approach to runway 09 left at Miami International Airport, Miami, Florida. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed. The airplane was destroyed. The airline transport pilot sustained serious injuries. The flight originated from Marsh Harbor, Bahamas, about 1 hour 14 minutes before the accident. Witnesses stated they observed the airplane descending to the right of the final approach path for runway 09 left with the landing gear down and an engine was heard sputtering. The wings of the airplane were observed to be rocking back and forth. The airplane rolled right 90 degrees. The nose pitched up, the airplane rolled over inverted, the nose pitched down, the airplane collided with a parking lot and slid in between a front end loader and a dump truck coming to a complete stop. Transcripts of recorded transmissions between Miami Air Traffic Control Tower (ATCT), N7884J, and review of Miami ATCT continuous data recording radar revealed there were no airplanes in the vicinity of N7884J at the time of the accident.

After takeoff from Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport runway 13, while climbing, the crew declared an emergency following an engine failure and was cleared to return. While completing a 180 turn, the crew lost control of the aircraft that crashed in the sea about 2,700 metres short of runway 31, three minutes after departure. A passenger survived while six other occupants were killed, all members of the corporate of LAER.

The pilot, sole on board, departed Kolonia Airport on a 5 hours and 45 minutes flight to Tarawa Island, Gilbert Islands. En route, radar and contact were lost with the airplane that crashed in the Pacific Ocean. SAR operations were initiated but abandoned after few days as no trace of the aircraft nor the pilot was found.

Shortly after takeoff from Tabora Airfield, while in initial climb, the twin engine aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height, stalled and crashed 130 metres past the runway end. All six occupants were injured.