United States of America

The airplane departed Dunkirk-Chautauqua County Airport, State of New York, on a ferry flight to Fort-Lauderdale-Executive Airport, carrying a crew of two. After he reached the altitude of 10,000 feet, the crew reported technical problems with the onboard electric system and elected to divert to Jamestown-Chautauqua County Airport. On final approach to runway 25, at an airspeed of 157 knots and with a rate of descent of 1,000 feet per minute, the airplane impacted the ground at runway threshold and went out of control. It caught fire, veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area, bursting into flames. Both crew members were rescued with various injuries. The airplane was totally destroyed by fire.

The single engine airplane departed Nebraska City Airport on a flight to Billings, carrying six passengers and one pilot. While cruising at FL260, the pilot informed ATC he was losing control of the airplane that entered a dive and crashed in a dense wooded area located about 50 km north of the Northeast Wyoming Regional Airport located near Gillette. The airplane disintegrated and all seven occupants were killed, among them three members of the Southern Gospel band 'The Nelons'

The single engine airplane was returning to its base at Youngstown-Windsor Airfield following a local skydiving mission. On approach to the grassy runway, the airplane went out of control, impacted a road and crashed below in a pasture. The airplane was totally destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

During the cruise portion of the cross-country flight, the pilot/owner informed air traffic control that the airplane’s left engine had lost power and he could not maintain altitude. The controller offered information on a nearby airport; however, the pilot requested, and then proceeded to, an airport farther away with a 9,003-ft-long runway. After twice circling the approach end of the runway to the left while descending, the pilot proceeded down the runway well above a normal glide path. A witness reported that the airplane never touched down, and track data showed that the airplane’s ground speed increased while over the runway. Airport surveillance video showed the airplane pitch up and to the left at the departure end of the runway. It continued into a left, descending turn until it impacted the ground about ¼ mile west of the departure end of the runway. Given this information, it is most likely that the pilot was unsuccessful in achieving an appropriate altitude and airspeed, which likely resulted in the pilot performing a single-engine go-around. During the subsequent climb and maneuvering, he lost control of the airplane, which resulted in an uncontrolled descent and impact with terrain. The wreckage was destroyed by impact forces and a postimpact fire. The left engine’s propeller blades were feathered and showed no indications of powered rotation at impact, while the right engine’s propeller blades showed damage signatures consistent with powered rotation at impact. A postaccident examination of the left engine revealed severe detonation damage of the No. 4 cylinder piston. Further examination of the left engine fuel servo revealed a significant amount of sand-like contamination in the servo inlet filter, which matched the properties of polyethylene terephthalate (PET), which is a thermoplastic polymer of the polyester family commonly found in fuel system components. The examination of the right engine fuel servo revealed that it was also contaminated with the same substance. The right engine’s spark plugs and one of its cylinders also displayed signatures consistent with a lean fuel to air ratio. Given this evidence, it is likely that the engines were operating with unpredictable fuel to air ratios due to the fuel system contamination, which likely contributed to the detonation in the left engine and pilot’s description that the engine lost power. The investigation was unable to determine how or when the PET was introduced into the fuel system due to the postimpact fire damage.

On approach to Easton-Newman Field Airport Runway 04, MD, the pilot lost control of the airplane that crashed into the Tred Avon River. The wreckage was found about 7 km short of runway. The airplane sank and the pilot was killed. The pilot apparently reported engine problem on final.

At 1344LT, the single engine airplane departed Oneonta-Albert S. Nader Airport runway 06/24 on a private flight to Charleston-Yaeger Airport, West Virginie. About 12 minutes after takeoff, while climbing to FL090, the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in the area of Masonville, about 40 km southwest of Oneonta Airport. The airplane was destroyed and all five occupants were killed.

Shortly after takeoff from McKinney Airport, while in initial climb, the twin engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed inverted in a quarry, bursting into flames. Two people were killed and a third occupant was seriously injured. It is believed that the pilot encountered engine problems shortly after departure.

After landing on the grassy runway 36 at Jackson-Seven Lakes Airfield, the twin engine airplane went out of control, veered off runway to the left and came to rest against a tree. All three occupants were injured and the airplane was damaged beyond repair. It was officially registered N2072 and the registration NC2072 was on the fuselage.

While enroute to the destination airport, the pilot reported a “cylinder temperature issue” to air traffic control (ATC) and the pilot diverted to another airport for a visual approach. The pilot overflew the airport and requested vectors for another visual approach. He then requested vectors to divert to an airport to the east before he informed air traffic control that the left engine lost power, and he received vectors back to the airport for a visual approach. The pilot maneuvered the airplane to land on runway 14, but for an unknown reason he decided to land on runway 32 instead. A pilot-rated witness reported that he observed the airplane while it was on the base to final turn for runway 32. He reported that the airplane’s wings leveled momentarily before it made a 60° left-bank turn and then entered a stall/spin in a counterclockwise rotation. The airplane impacted a trailer park about 0.38 miles from the approach end of runway 32. A postimpact fire ensued and destroyed the airplane. Examination of the airframe, flight controls, and the right engine did not detect any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the left engine found that the starter adapter spline was worn, with broken teeth on its crankshaft gear. The crankshaft gear remained properly timed with the crankshaft cluster gear, the investigation could not determine if the idler gear, which drives the magnetos, slipped timing. Mistiming of the magnetos could result in abnormal cylinder head temperature(s). In addition, there was improper hardware securing the cylinder No. 6 intake valve, which might have altered performance of that valve. Due to thermal damage, testing of the ignition and fuel systems could not be accomplished. Evidence of detonation was observed on the left engine’s piston heads. The installed engine data monitor was destroyed by the postimpact fire and did not provide further details as to the operational condition of the engine before the accident. Inspection of the starter adapter assembly is required annually by airworthiness directive and was accomplished on the most recent annual inspection. The airplane had flown about 5.5 hours since the inspection.

The pilot departed runway 19 at Albany International Airport on a ferry flight to Montreal. After takeoff, while climbing, the pilot informed ATC about engine trouble and was able to climb to an altitude of about 800 feet when the airplane entered a left descending turn. It later gained a little altitude then entered an uncontrolled descent and crashed in a residential area, bursting into flames. The airplane was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed. The airplane was en route to Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport.