Technical failure

Shortly after takeoff, the aircraft suffered an engine failure. Control was lost and the aircraft crashed, bursting into flames. Both pilots were killed.

The crew started the descent to Paris-Le Bourget when the aircraft went out of control, entered a dive and crashed in an open field located in Provins, about 77 km southeast of Le Bourget Airport. The aircraft was destroyed and both occupants were killed.

The single engine airplane departed Kobyay at 1205LT on a regular schedule service to Sangar, carrying eight passengers and two pilots. While cruising at an altitude of 550 meters in good weather conditions, the engine lost power then failed. The crew attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crashed in a prairie located about 35 km southwest of Sangar. All 10 occupants were uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The single engine aircraft was engaged in a local training flight out from Leningrad-Rzhevka Airport, carrying three passengers and two pilots. After takeoff, the aircraft encountered difficulties to gain height. When the crew initiated a 180 turn at an altitude of about 20 meters, the aircraft struck tree tops at a speed of 105 km/h, stalled and crashed in a wooded area located 2 km southeast of the airport, bursting into flames. A passenger was seriously injured while four other occupants were killed.

The departure from Vilanculos was postponed due to technical problems. An engineer was expected for about 48 hours but failed to come. The pilot decided to conduct the flight despite the problems were not resolved. En route, while cruising along the shore, he encountered technical problems and attempted to make an emergency landing on a beach when the aircraft crashed. All five occupants were killed.

Pilot took off from Scottsdale at 1934 mst for a 13 nm flight to reposition the aircraft to home base. Within minutes the pilot advised ATC that he was 6 miles out with minimum fuel and requested no delay. He then asked for clearance to runway 22R and was cleared to land on runway 22R, at 1943 mst the pilot advised the tower that he was not going to make the runway. Both engines had stopped due to fuel exhaustion and the pilot made a forced landing 1/4 mile from the approach end of runway 22R in a level dirt area. The pilot reported the aircraft contained 120 lbs of fuel upon departure from Scottsdale and no low fuel warning was received. The pilot's operating handbook states the low fuel warning light should illuminate when there is less than 60 gallons of fuel in either tank or when there is less than 120 gallons total fuel on board. The manual also stated the aircraft burns 170 gph at 70 percent power. The pilot, sole on board, was seriously injured.

After landing, the aircraft veered off the runway to the left and came to rest upside down. While both occupants were unhurt, the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Following a dual engine change, the pilot test flew the aircraft. On initial climb, at about 500 feet agl, both engines began backfiring violently and lost power. According to the pilot, power sufficient for flight could not be obtained, and a forced landing was made about 0.75 miles from the airport. The landing occurred in open desert terrain and the aircraft was substantially damaged. The pilot acknowledged that he did not check the position of the control handles for the superchargers during either his preflight or pre-takeoff inspections. And the blowers had been inadvertently left set to the high blower position. According to the pilot, the checklist which he was using for the aircraft did not address the position of the blowers because for the past 15 years it had been company policy to 'wire the blowers to the low blower position.' Both occupants escaped uninjured.

The Fokker F-27, registration YN-BZF, was engaged on a delivery flight from North Yemen to Nicaragua. For the purpose of extended range two 200 US gal auxiliary ferry fuel tanks had been installed in the cabin of the aircraft. YN-BZF departed on 11 April 1985 from North Yemen (Sanaa) via Saudi Arabia (Jeddah), Egypt (Cairo) to Greece (Athens). The flight proceeded from Greece on 19 April 1985 via Italy (Genoa) to Scotland (Prestwick). On 20 April 1985 the flight proceeded from Prestwick via Stornoway to Reykjavik (Iceland) where it arrived at 15:48 hours. Since the crew had been unable to retrieve fuel from the auxiliary ferry fuel system during the preceding part of the flight, they checked the system during the stay at Reykjavik, and they found it to be in working order. An additional check was done by experienced Icelandic F-27 engineers. In the opinion of the ground engineers the auxiliary fuel system "was not very professionally looking" and they "got the feeling that the crew was not quite certain of how to operate it". They advised the crew on how to operate the fuel system and do a ground run to see if it worked. After having received weather information and ATC clearance, the crew took off at 17:21 hours, heading for Kangerlussuaq-Søndre Strømfjord Airport. At 18:32 the Pilot-in-Command transmitted a message to Iceland radio, whom he asked to extend his thanks to the Icelandic engineers with the message that the auxiliary ferry fuel system was working correctly. This message was transmitted prior to passage of Kulusuk at 19:35 hours. During the flight from Reykjavík, Iceland to Greenland the crew informed the air traffic control that problems had arisen with retrieving fuel from the auxiliary ferry fuel system. At 19:50, approximately 50 NM west of Kulusuk, the crew radioed to the radar station BIG GUN about fuel problems, as it had been discovered that the auxiliary ferry fuel system did not function after all. Thus encountering a reduction of fuel reserves by approximately 400 US gal together with a ground speed of only 180 knots the crew decided to return for landing at Kulusuk Airport. However, due to deteriorating weather conditions the aerodrome could not be located. The flight diverted hereafter westbound for an emergency landing at a radar station, "SOB STORY", on the icecap. During descent the aircraft collided with the icecap.

After takeoff, while in initial climb, the airplane banked right, lost height and crashed, bursting into flames. All four occupants were killed.