Rockwell Grand Commander 690

The approach and landing at Adicora Airport were completed in relative strong winds. Upon touchdown on runway 08, the twin engine airplane landed hard, bounced and went out of control. It veered off runway to the right, lost its undercarriage and came to rest. All four occupants evacuated safely and the airplane was damaged beyond repair.

The company pilot and two employees had departed on an aerial imagery survey flight of forest vegetation. The airplane began to level off at an altitude of about 16,100 ft mean sea level (msl) and accelerated to a maximum recorded groundspeed of 209 knots. Less than 2 minutes later, the groundspeed decreased to about 93 knots, and the airplane descended about 500 ft while on a steady heading. The airplane subsequently entered a rapid descent and a right turn, and “mayday, mayday, mayday” and “we’re in a spin” transmissions were broadcast to air traffic control (ATC). A witness, who was located near the accident site, noticed the airplane nose down at high rate of speed and then saw the airplane spinning rapidly about its longitudinal axis. The airplane wreckage was located in remote wetlands and wooded terrain. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane impacted the ground in a nose-low vertical attitude and at high speed. All major components of the airplane were located at the accident site. Examination of the airframe, engines, and propellers revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures that would have precluded normal operation. According to the aircraft performance study for this accident, when the airplane pitched down, the normal load factor decreased rapidly from about 1.6 to less than 1 G. A rapid decrease in normal load factor is consistent with a stall when the wing exceeds its critical angle of attack. At that point, the air flow becomes separated at the wing, and the wing can no longer generate the necessary lift. If the airplane is in uncoordinated flight at the stall, a spin can result. Thus, the pilot likely did not maintain adequate airspeed, causing the airplane to exceed its critical angle of attack and enter a stall and spin. An important but unknown factor before and during the initial stall was the behavior of the pilot regarding his flight control inputs, including his possible attempt to recover. The airplane’s Pilot Operating Handbook states that spins are not authorized and does not include a procedure for inadvertent spin recovery.

Shortly after takeoff from runway 12 at Thunder Bay Airport, the twin engine airplane rolled to the left and crashed upside down on runway 07, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The twin engine aircraft entered the Dominican airspace without clearance while probably being involved in an illegal mission (contraband). After being traced by an A-29B Super Tucano, it crashed in unknown circumstances in a sugar cane field located in Batey Palo Bonito. The aircraft was destroyed by impact forces and a post crash fire and both occupants were killed.

The aircraft was engagted in an illegal contraband flight when it crash landed in an open field located near Ahuas. No one was found on site and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair. A load of cocaine was found on board.