Crash of a Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage in the Gulf of Mexico

Date & Time: Dec 4, 2010 at 1430 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N350MM
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Cozumel – New Orleans
MSN:
46-22105
YOM:
1990
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1593
Captain / Total hours on type:
516.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
7000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
750
Aircraft flight hours:
2936
Circumstances:
About 2 hours into a cross-country flight over water, the pilot heard a noticeable change in engine noise and observed erratic engine torque readings. Moments later the airplane experienced a complete loss of engine power. After declaring an emergency, the pilot attempted to diagnose the problem and restart the engine to no avail. The airplane ditched 175 miles from land, in water over 5,000 feet deep. The airplane was not recovered and the reason for the loss of engine power could not be determined.
Probable cause:
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-46-350P Malibu Mirage off Destin: 3 killed

Date & Time: Nov 23, 2010 at 1930 LT
Registration:
N548C
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
New Orleans – Destin
MSN:
46-36322
YOM:
2001
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
408
Captain / Total hours on type:
34.00
Aircraft flight hours:
761
Circumstances:
The instrument-rated pilot was executing a night instrument approach when the airplane impacted the water. The published approach minimums for the area navigation/global positioning system approach were 460-foot ceiling and one-mile visibility. Recorded air traffic control voice and radar data indicated that prior to the approach the pilot had turned to an approximately 180-degree heading and appeared to be heading in the direction of another airport. The controller reassigned the pilot a heading in order to intercept the final approach. The airplane was located in the water approximately 5,000 feet from the runway threshold. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the left main landing gear was in the retracted position and the right main and nose landing gear were in the extended position. Examination of the left main landing gear actuator revealed no mechanical anomalies. The pilot had likely just commanded the landing gear to the down position and the landing gear was in transit. It is further possible that, as the gear was in transit, the airplane impacted the water in a left-wing and nose-down attitude and the left gear was forced to a gear-up position.
Probable cause:
Controlled flight into water due to the pilot's improper descent below the published minimum descent altitude.
Final Report:

Crash of a Grumman G-159 Gulfstream I in Houston: 3 killed

Date & Time: Aug 23, 1990 at 1720 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N80RD
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Houston - New Orleans
MSN:
198
YOM:
1969
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
13
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
20200
Captain / Total hours on type:
760.00
Aircraft flight hours:
5343
Circumstances:
The passengers and witnesses reported that during takeoff, the aircraft yawed both left and right after lift-off. It then veered to the left and contacted the ground in a left wing low attitude between the runway and a parallel taxiway. An investigation revealed evidence that the left engine had sustained a partial loss of power due to a malfunctioning fuel pump. There were indications the power loss was not sufficient to trigger or allow completion of the autofeathering operation of the left propeller. Feathering of the left propeller had been manually initiated, but the propeller had not reached the feather position before impact. Manual feathering operation required the feathering pump button be held about 5 sec. 'V' speeds (kias) for this flight were: V1 92, VR 99, V2 110, normal VMCA (dead engine propeller feathered, flaps set for takeoff and aircraft out of ground effect) 101, VMCA (dead engine propeller unfeathered/windmilling and flaps set for takeoff) 127 knots. Exam of the actuators revealed the gear was retracted and the flaps were set for takeoff. Both pilots and a passenger who was seating on the jumpseat were killed.
Probable cause:
Partial failure of the left engine fuel pump, which resulted in a partial loss of power in the left engine, but not enough of a power loss to trigger and/or complete the autofeathering operation of the left propeller, thus allowing insufficient time for the crew to manually feather the propeller or attain VMC (for the aircraft configured with an unfeathered propeller).
Final Report:

Crash of a Douglas DC-6A in Golden Meadow: 3 killed

Date & Time: Jul 20, 1988 at 1924 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N33VX
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
San Salvador - New Orleans
MSN:
44615
YOM:
1955
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
6000
Captain / Total hours on type:
3500.00
Aircraft flight hours:
27978
Circumstances:
After abt 4.3 hours on an overwater flight, the crew reported they had 15 minutes of fuel remaining. Subsequently, 3 of 4 engines lost power from fuel exhaustion. During an emergency landing, the aircraft hit a levee and was extensively damaged. Most of the wreckage came to rest in a drainage canal. Bodies of the crew were recovered from the water on 7/22/88. During an investigation, no fuel was found in the fuel tanks and no fuel spill was evident. Records showed the aircraft had departed El Salvador with 7 hours of fuel. No reason for the loss of 2.7 hours of fuel was verified; but about 1 month after the accident, an employee of the operator reported finding an open drain valve in the wreckage, inside the #4 engine nacelle. A metallurgical examination indicated the valve had been in an open position for an extended time. No ground personnel saw fuel draining from the aircraft during start, taxi or takeoff. The crew had no control of the valve in flight. There was evidence the #1, #2 and #3 engines were not providing power during impact. All crossfeed valve controls were found in crossfeed positions. Ethanol was found in the pilot's and copilot's blood, but there was evidence that it was the resulted of postmortem changes.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: loss of engine power (total) - nonmechanical
Phase of operation: descent
Findings
1. 3 engines
2. (c) fluid, fuel - exhaustion
----------
Occurrence #2: forced landing
Phase of operation: descent - emergency
----------
Occurrence #3: in flight collision with terrain/water
Phase of operation: landing
Findings
3. (f) light condition - dusk
4. (f) terrain condition - dirt bank/rising embankment
5. (f) terrain condition - water
Final Report:

Crash of a BAe 3101 Jetstream 31 in New Orleans

Date & Time: May 26, 1987 at 1645 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N331CY
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New Orleans - Valparaiso
MSN:
742
YOM:
1987
Flight number:
CO962
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
9
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
7500
Captain / Total hours on type:
60.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
3000
Copilot / Total hours on type:
18
Aircraft flight hours:
147
Circumstances:
Taxi clearance was received at 16:35 and the flight left gate 14B for runway 19. The airplane was cleared for takeoff at 16:44. Shortly after lifting off, at 200 feet above the ground, the engine torque gauges began to fluctuate erratically and the plane began to yaw back and forth. The captain believed the TTL (Torque Temperature Limiting) system may have been bypassing fuel to the engines (a situation that could occur when power levers are advanced too far forward). He then slightly decreased the power settings which resulted in even greater torque oscillations and greater yawing. The captain believed both engines were malfunctioning for some unknown reason and landed back on runway 19, because a 90° turn for runway 28 seemed impossible. The aircraft overran the runway, struck a 6 feet high chain link fence, struck a concrete barrier and skidded across the Route 61 highway before coming to rest on a parking lot.
Probable cause:
A breakdown of the flight crew coordination which resulted in their failure to comply with the Before Takeoff Checklist and advance the RPM levers to the high RPM position, and the flight crew's failure to diagnose and remedy engine oscillations on initial climbout. Contributing to the flight crew's failure to advance the RPM levers before take off was the fact that both crew members had limited experience in the BAe-3101 and extensive recent experience in other aircraft which use RPM control lever procedures that are different from the BAe-3101."
Final Report:

Crash of a Swearingen SA226T Merlin III off Grand Isle: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 17, 1985 at 1255 LT
Registration:
N3RB
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Belize - New Orleans
MSN:
T-214
YOM:
1971
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
0
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Captain / Total flying hours:
9000
Circumstances:
A distress message was received from the pilot stating he was 100 miles south of Grand Isle, LA, and had lost an engine and was unable to maintain altitude. A second message was received shortly afterwards stating that the aircraft was at 1,500 feet and the pilot was preparing to ditch the aircraft. No further contacts and no ELT signals were heard. The aircraft wreckage has not been located.
Probable cause:
Occurrence #1: missing aircraft
Phase of operation: unknown
Findings
1. (c) reason for occurrence undetermined
Final Report:

Crash of a Boeing 727-235 in New Orleans: 153 killed

Date & Time: Jul 9, 1982 at 1608 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N4737
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Miami - New Orleans - Las Vegas - San Francisco - San Diego
MSN:
19457
YOM:
1968
Flight number:
PA759
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
138
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
153
Captain / Total flying hours:
11727
Captain / Total hours on type:
10595.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
6127
Copilot / Total hours on type:
3914
Aircraft flight hours:
39253
Aircraft flight cycles:
35643
Circumstances:
Pan Am Flight 759 was a scheduled flight from Miami (MIA) to Las Vegas (LAS), with an en route stop at New Or1eans (MSY). At 15:58:48 Boeing 727 "Clipper Defiance" taxied from its gate at the New Orleans International Airport. Before leaving the gate, the flightcrew had received ATIS message Foxtrot which read in part "....time one eight five five Zulu, weather, two thousand five hundred scattered, two five thousand thin broken, visibility six miles in haze, temperature niner zero, wind two four zero at two, winds are calm altimeter three zero zero one...". The flightcrew requested runway 10 for the takeoff and ground control cleared the flight to taxi to runway 10. At 15:59:03, the first officer requested a wind check. Winds were 040 degrees at 8 knots. At 16:02:34, while Flight 759 was taxiing to runway 10, the crew heard a transmission from ground control, advising another airplane of low level wind shear alerts in the northeast quadrants of the airport. At 16:03:33, the first officer requested another wind check. Ground control replied, "Wind now zero seven zero degrees at one seven... peak gusts two three, and we have low level wind shear alerts all quadrants, appears to be a frontal passing overhead right now, we're right in the middle of everything." The captain then advised the first officer to "...let your airspeed build up on takeoff..." and said that they would turn off the air conditioning packs for the takeoff, which would enable them to increase the EPR's on engines Nos. 1 and 3 to 1.92. The flightcrew completed the takeoff and departure briefings and turned onto the active runway for takeoff. At l6:06:22, Flight 759 informed the tower that it was ready for takeoff. The local controller cleared the flight for takeoff, and the first officer acknowledged the clearance. About 16:07:57, the Boeing 727 began its takeoff. According to witnesses, the airplane lifted off about 7,000 feet down runway 10, climbed in a wings-level attitude, reached an altitude of about 100 feet to 150 feet above the ground (AGL), and then began to descend towards trees. The airplane crashed into a residential area and was destroyed during the impact, explosion, and subsequent ground fire. Eight persons on the ground were killed.
Probable cause:
The airplane's encounter during the lift-off and initial climb phase of flight with a micro-burst induced windshear which imposed a downdraft and a decreasing headwind, the effects of which the pilot would have had difficulty recognizing and reacting to in time for the airplane's descent to be arrested before its impact with trees. Contributing to the accident was the limited capability of current ground based low level windshear detection technology to provide definitive guidance for controllers and pilots for use in avoiding low level wind shear encounters.
Final Report:

Crash of a Rockwell 1121 Jet Commander in Many: 3 killed

Date & Time: Dec 19, 1980 at 1050 LT
Registration:
N29LB
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
New Orleans - Many
MSN:
1121-061
YOM:
1966
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
2
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
3
Captain / Total flying hours:
7050
Circumstances:
On final approach to Many-Hart Memorial Airport, the crew was completing a right turn to 45° when the right wingtip fuel tank struck a tree. Out of control, the airplane stalled and crashed in a wooded area. A passenger was seriously injured while three other occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Stall on final approach due to improper IFR operation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot-in-command failed to maintain flying speed,
- Low ceiling,
- Fog,
- Unfavorable wind conditions,
- Visibility 3/4 mile or less,
- Weather conditions below minimums,
- NBD circling approach,
- Wind gusting 35 knots.
Final Report:

Crash of a Cessna 404 Titan in New Orleans: 1 killed

Date & Time: Apr 27, 1980 at 2332 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N5237J
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Las Vegas - New Orleans - Mobile
MSN:
404-0619
YOM:
1979
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
1
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
On final approach to New Orleans-Moisant Airport, both engines failed. The aircraft stalled and crashed few miles from the airport. The passenger was seriously injured and the pilot was killed. The aircraft was destroyed.
Probable cause:
Double engine failure, stall and subsequent crash on final approach due to an inadequate preflight preparation. The following contributing factors were reported:
- Mismanagement of fuel,
- Improper in-flight decisions or planning,
- Fuel exhaustion,
- The pilot failed to maintain flying speed,
- Complete failure of both engines.
Final Report:

Crash of a Piper PA-31-310 Navajo in Luling: 4 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 1979 at 1103 LT
Type of aircraft:
Registration:
N27614
Flight Phase:
Flight Type:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
New Orleans - Fort Worth
MSN:
31-7812058
YOM:
1978
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
3
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
300
Captain / Total hours on type:
60.00
Circumstances:
When the aircraft departed New Orleans-Moisant Airport, weather conditions were poor with thunderstorm activity and rain falls. After takeoff, while climbing in the clouds, the pilot lost control of the airplane that entered and uncontrolled descent and crashed in a field located in Luling, about six miles southwest of the airport. The aircraft was destroyed and all four occupants were killed.
Probable cause:
Uncontrolled descent after the pilot attempted operation beyond experience and ability level. The following contributing factors were reported:
- The pilot initiated flight in adverse weather conditions,
- The pilot suffered a spatial disorientation,
- Rain,
- Thunderstorm activity,
- Visibility half a mile or less,
- Haze.
Final Report: