Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan near San Lorenzo

Date & Time: Oct 13, 2022 at 0915 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OB-2228
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
San Lorenzo – Tarapoto
MSN:
208B-0802
YOM:
2000
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
10
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed San Lorenzo at 0900LT on a flight to Tarapoto, carrying 10 passengers and two pilots. About 15 minutes into the flight, the crew encountered technical problems with the engine and attempted an emergency landing when the aircraft crash landed in a wooded area located some 15 km southeast of San Lorenzo. All 12 occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Crash of a BAe 3201EP Jetstream 32 in El Estrecho: 1 killed

Date & Time: Sep 20, 2022
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
OB-2152
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
El Estrecho – Iquitos
MSN:
941
YOM:
1991
Country:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
15
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
1
Circumstances:
During the takeoff roll from runway 31 at El Estrecho Airport, the crew encountered an unexpected situation and rejected takeoff. Unable to stop within the remaining distance, the aircraft overran, crossed a road and crashed against a wooded embankment. The right wing was partially sheared off and the undercarriage were torn off. All 17 occupants were injured, five seriously. One passenger died from injuries sustained.

Crash of a Fokker 50 in Mogadishu

Date & Time: Jul 18, 2022 at 1130 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5Y-JXN
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Baidoa – Mogadishu
MSN:
20239
YOM:
1992
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
4
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
32
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Upon landing at Mogadishu-Aden Abdulle Airport runway 05, the airplane went out of control, veered off runway, lost its left wing and crashed upside down, bursting into flames. The fire was quickly extinguished and all 36 occupants evacuated, three passengers suffered minor injuries.

Crash of a McDonnell Douglas MD-82 in Miami

Date & Time: Jun 21, 2022 at 1738 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
HI1064
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Santo Domingo - Miami
MSN:
53027/1805
YOM:
1990
Flight number:
L5203
Crew on board:
7
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
119
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
Following an uneventful flight from Santo Domingo-Las Américas Airport, the crew was cleared to land on runway 09 at Miami-Intl Airport. According to a video, it is believed that both main landing gear were not properly extended upon touchdown. The airplane rolled for few hundred metres then deviated to the left and departed the runway to the left. It collided with obstacles, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a grassy area, bursting into flames. Fire was quickly extinguished. All 126 occupants evacuated safely, among them three passengers were taken to Jackson Hospital.

Crash of a De Havilland DHC-6 Twin Otter 300 near Sanosware: 22 killed

Date & Time: May 29, 2022 at 1010 LT
Operator:
Registration:
9N-AET
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Pokhara – Jomsom
MSN:
619
YOM:
1979
Flight number:
TRA197
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
3
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
19
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
22
Captain / Total flying hours:
17500
Captain / Total hours on type:
13500.00
Copilot / Total flying hours:
520
Copilot / Total hours on type:
315
Aircraft flight hours:
41336
Aircraft flight cycles:
71338
Circumstances:
On 29 May 2022, Tara Air’s 9N-AET, Twin Otter (DHC-6/300) aircraft was scheduled for three flights on Pokhara-Jomsom-Pokhara sector. Tara Air had also filed flight plans for two additional Charter flights on the same sector. Among those five flights, four flights were to be conducted by a set of crews already positioned at Pokhara while the last flight was scheduled to be commanded by the PIC who had reached Pokhara from Kathmandu that very morning. Since Jomsom Airport was closed for operations due to bad weather, the PIC went to Tara Air crew camp and waited for the updates of weather improvement of Jomsom. After Jomsom Airport was open for operations at 0321 UTC, Tara Air operation decided to operate the first scheduled flight. However suspecting the next flight operation to Jomsom could not be operated, the original PIC assigned to the flight seated on board as a passenger to Jomsom for his scheduled business trip and the PIC assigned for the last flight took command. The Flight Plan was amended accordingly. At 0342 UTC, Summit Air’s 9N-AKZ, LET-410 took-off from Pokhara to Jomsom. At 0405 UTC, it reported an altitude of 12,500 ft and patches of cloud over Tatopani. At 0409 UTC, Summit Air’s second aircraft 9N-AMG, LET-410, took-off for Jomsom and subsequently, at 0410 UTC, 9N-AET of Tara Air (TRA197) took-off with 19 passengers and three crews on board. The Copilot had initially reported 3 crew and 18 passengers onboard to Pokhara Tower but later, revised the passenger figure was 19 prior to takeoff. 9N-AET was supposed to take-off before SMT 601 but the PIC seemed hesitant to commence the flight due to weather PIREP from 9N-AKZ that, the en-route weather was not favorable for VFR flights and critical around LETE and TATOPANI. All the crew members of TRA 197 and SMT 601 were in their respective cockpits and communicating with the preceding flight 9N-AKZ as well as with Pokhara tower for the updated information of en-route and destination weather. No flights had been conducted since morning and most of the passengers of Tara air and Summit Air were already at airport. In this situation it can be assumed that there was pressure to conduct flight from each angle. While listening to the CVR of TRA 197, it was observed that someone, either ground staff or some intimate passenger to the crew, advising strongly to the PIC to conduct the flight. Following the PIREP from 9NAKZ, both TRA197 and SMT 601 subsequently started their engines to commence the flights. The PIC of TRA 197 was still hesitant to conduct the flight for Jomsom even after the engine start and delayed the taxi as he was not yet convinced about the weather report received from preceding 9N-AKZ aircraft. In the meantime, SMT 601 lined up for departure to Jomsom. That was one of the most important pressure points to the PIC of TRA 197 to initiate departure. TRA 197 finally lined up and took off from Pokhara at 0410 UTC following the SMT 601 based on the en-route weather information (VMC) from 9N-AKZ, through Pokhara Tower. The en-route weather provided by Summit Air’s 9N-AKZ to Pokhara Tower and the crewmembers of TRA 197 and SMT 601 was not the same. Aircraft took off from Pokhara from runway 04 heading North. Tower instructed “report 5 DME northwest RW 04”. Then after departure at 90 climb power aircraft turned left to maintain a heading of 345 and planned to join heading 305 degree towards Ghodepani. After four minutes, TRA 197 reported, “Now on course…. 6000 climbing and ETA Jomsom 32” (0432 UTC). At 04:21 TRA 197 reported to Pokhara Tower as position approaching Ghodepani 12000 climbing for 12500. After 6 Seconds ATC Pokhara asked TRA 197, “confirm would like to change level and TRA 197 replied, “No Ma'am we have crossed Ghodepani and like to be on”. Pokhara Tower instructed, “Tara 197 contact Jomsom Tower 122.5” CVR recordings show that after TRA 197 crossed Ghodepani, the PIC was not comfortable with the en-route weather. However, the flight was continued following the advice of SMT 601. At 0426 UTC, TRA 197made the first contact with Jomsom AFS and reported its position to which Jomsom Tower conveyed the prevailing weather as “Wind South Westerly up to 30 kts, QNH 1019, Temp 18º”. The PIC of TRA 197 reconfirmed twice if the wind was maximum, up to 30 Kts and currently South Westerly-25kts. The crew was discussing about the bad weather being encountered and the PIC himself voiced his dissatisfaction about the behavior of other pilots who conduct VFR flights in such unfavorable weather. The CVR recordings reveal that the aircraft was encountering clouds and the PIC was trying his best to remain clear of the clouds. During the course of flight, TRA 197 hadn’t reported any abnormalities encountered and neither any technical defect on aircraft either to Jomsom tower or Pokhara Tower. As per CVR, PIC was searching for light and brighter areas and adamantly heading towards it. As per CVR and V2 tracker data, the aircraft was maintaining 12000 ft and was in a climbing attitude. During the continuous attempts of crew to avoid the clouds with Terrain Avoidance and Warning System [TAWS] inhibited, the aircraft met with an unfortunate CFIT accident into the rocky terrain at an altitude of 4050 meter AMSL at Sanusare Mountain, Thasang Rural Municipality, Mustang. As per V2 tracker, last position of 9N-AET was 7.7 nm SW of Jomsom Airport. The aircraft was completely destroyed by the impact and there were no survivors.
Probable cause:
The probable cause of this accident was the flight crew's failure to monitor and maintain the proper course while inadvertently flying in IMC conditions with the aircraft Terrain Avoidance and Warning System (TAWS) inhibited which resulted into a Controlled Flight Into Terrain (CFIT) accident.
The following contributing factors were identified:
1. The flight crew's failure to follow the SOP of company.
2. The aircraft flight operation with TAWS inhibited during deteriorating en-route weather condition.
3. Loss of situational awareness of crew.
4. Deteriorating en route weather.
5. Less experienced copilot for that sector and high crew gradient.
6. Poor CRM during the flight.
7. The whole cockpit duties [both PF and PM] were undertaken by the PlC, which likely impaired his performance.
8. Underutilization of the available Navigation instruments.
Final Report:

Crash of an Airbus A319-115 in Chongqing

Date & Time: May 12, 2022 at 0804 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
B-6425
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Chongqing – Nyingchi
MSN:
5157
YOM:
2012
Flight number:
TV9833
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
113
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Circumstances:
The airplane was departing Chongqing-Jiangbei Airport on a regular schedule service to Nyingchi, Tibet, carrying 113 passengers and a crew of nine. During the takeoff run from runway 03, the captain encountered an unexpected situation and decided to abandon the takeoff procedure. He initiated an emergency braking manoeuvre when the airplane started to deviate to the left. It veered off runway, went through a grassy area, lost its undercarriage and both engines before coming to rest on a parallel taxiway, bursting into flames. 36 occupants were injured while all others evacuated safely. The aircraft was destroyed.

Crash of a Boeing 737-89P near Wuzhou: 132 killed

Date & Time: Mar 21, 2022 at 1422 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
B-1791
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Site:
Schedule:
Kunming - Guangzhou
MSN:
41474/5433
YOM:
2015
Flight number:
MU5735
Location:
Country:
Region:
Crew on board:
9
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
123
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
132
Captain / Total flying hours:
6709
Copilot / Total flying hours:
31769
Aircraft flight hours:
18239
Aircraft flight cycles:
8986
Circumstances:
The airplane departed Kunming-Wujiaba Airport at 1315LT on a schedule service (flight MU5735) to Guangzhou, carrying 123 passengers and a crew of nine. At 1420LT, while cruising at an altitude of 29,100 feet, the aircraft entered an uncontrolled descent until 7,400 feet then climbed to 8,600 feet. It finally entered a steep descent and crashed almost two minutes later in a vertical attitude on hilly and wooded terrain located some 20 km southwest of Wuzhou. The airplane disintegrated on impact and all 132 occupants were killed. Two days after the accident, the CVR was found while the DFDR was found on March 27.

Crash of a Cessna 208B Grand Caravan off Mohéli: 14 killed

Date & Time: Feb 26, 2022 at 1230 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
5H-MZA
Flight Phase:
Survivors:
No
Schedule:
Moroni - Mohéli
MSN:
208B-5278
YOM:
2016
Flight number:
Y61103
Region:
Crew on board:
2
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
12
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
14
Circumstances:
The single engine airplane departed Moroni Airport at 1155LT on a schedule flight to Mohéli, carrying 12 passengers and two pilots. While approaching Mohéli, the crew encountered marginal weather conditions when the aircraft crashed in the sea some 2,5 km northwest of Mohéli-Bander es Eslam Airport. After 24 hours of intense research, only few debris were found floating on water (such a wheel and wing fragments). No trace of the 14 occupants was found.

Crash of a Cessna 207 Stationair 8 in Bethel

Date & Time: Nov 20, 2021 at 1755 LT
Operator:
Registration:
N9794M
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Bethel – Kwethluk
MSN:
207-0730
YOM:
1981
Location:
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
5
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
0
Captain / Total flying hours:
1480
Captain / Total hours on type:
659.00
Aircraft flight hours:
15727
Circumstances:
The pilot was conducting a scheduled air taxi flight with five passengers onboard. Shortly after departure, the pilot began to smell an electrical burn odor, and he elected to return to the airport. About 1 minute later, the electrical burn smell intensified, which was followed by visible smoke in the cockpit, and the pilot declared an emergency to the tower. After landing and all the passengers had safely departed the airplane, heavy smoke filled the cockpit and passenger compartment, and the pilot saw a candle-like flame just behind the pilot and co-pilot seats, just beneath the floorboards of the airplane. Moments later, the airplane was engulfed in flames. Postaccident examination of the airframe revealed the origin of the fire to be centered behind the pilot’s row of seats, where a wire harness was found improperly installed on top of the aft fuel line from the left tank. Examination of the wire harness found a range of thermal and electrical damage consistent with chafing from the fuel line. It is likely that the installation of the wire harness permitted contact with the fuel line, which resulted in chafing, arcing, and the subsequent fire.
Probable cause:
The improper installation of an avionics wire harness over a fuel line, which resulted in chafing of the wire harness, arcing, and a subsequent fire.
Final Report:

Crash of a Britten Norman BN-2A-6 Islander in Beaver Island: 4 killed

Date & Time: Nov 13, 2021 at 1349 LT
Type of aircraft:
Operator:
Registration:
N866JA
Survivors:
Yes
Schedule:
Charlevoix – Beaver Island
MSN:
185
YOM:
1970
Crew on board:
1
Crew fatalities:
Pax on board:
4
Pax fatalities:
Other fatalities:
Total fatalities:
4
Captain / Total flying hours:
2949
Captain / Total hours on type:
136.00
Aircraft flight hours:
20784
Circumstances:
A pilot-rated witness observed the airplane during the final approach to the destination airport and stated that the airplane was flying slowly, with a high pitch attitude, and was “wallowing” as if nobody was flying. The airplane stalled and impacted the ground about 300 ft from the runway. GPS and automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast (ADS-B) data captured the accident flight, but the ADS-B data ended about 0.24 miles before the accident. GPS data showed that the airplane’s speed was at or near the published stall speed for the airplane’s given loading condition. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and both wings. Examination of the airplane verified flight and engine control continuity. No preimpact anomalies were found with respect to the airplane, engines, or systems. The pilot allowed the airspeed to decrease during the approach, increased pitch attitude, and exceeded critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and spin into terrain.
Probable cause:
The pilot's exceedance of the airplane's critical angle of attack during final approach, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall and loss of control at an altitude too low to recover.
Final Report: