Landing (descent or approach)

The DC-3 experienced an in-flight engine fire, and made a forced landing at nearby airport, following the separation of the right engine assembly from the airframe. According to the pilot, during cruise flight, at 5000 feet, he heard a loud "bang" and saw a reflection of fire on his left engine nacelle. Fire damage was found on the trailing edge of the right wing and on the landing gear assembly. The engine examination also showed that No. 12 cylinder had separated from the main case. Evidence of oil from the No. 12 cylinder was found across engine and exhaust systems. Further examination revealed Nos. 7, 8 and 9 cylinders also failed and separated, and the engine seized and separated from the airframe.

The instructor was accompanied by a trainee pilot and two passengers (also pilots) on a local training flight and was in the process of doing type conversion training when the accident happened. On the third circuit after a touch and go landing on runway 06L, the right-hand engine failed soon after take-off. The aircraft was flown at low altitude in a left-hand circuit in an attempt to land onto runway 17. During this circuit the left-hand engine also failed. The aircraft collided with, and severed, three 11kV electrical conductors and executed a forced landing with the gear retracted to the North of FALA approximately 1 km from threshold of runway 17. The pilot only sustained minor injuries with no one else injured. The initial on-site inspection revealed that both front tanks, which were selected at the fuel tank selector, were empty. The pilot who was undergoing conversion training refueled the aircraft prior to the accident and stated that 70 litres of fuel was uplifted into each "inboard auxiliary" tank and that what he presumed to be the "main" tanks were filled to capacity. The instructor stated that upon his arrival, the pilot who refueled the aircraft told him that he had filled the "mains" and that the "centre aux. tanks" were partially filled. The instructor further stated that the "main" tanks were selected for the duration of the flight. The aircraft is equipped with three fuel tanks in each wing. These tanks are: Front, Rear Auxiliary and Auxiliary tanks. Only one fuel quantity gauge is installed in the aircraft. A seven position selector knob above the fuel quantity gauge determines the tank to which the gauge is connected which then indicates the amount of fuel in that respective tank. The left and right front tanks were selected on the fuel gauge selector knob.

On final approach to Kolonia Airport (Pohnpei Island), the aircraft was too low. It struck the ground just short of runway threshold, causing the right main gear to be torn off and the left main gear to collapse. The aircraft slid on its belly for few dozen metres before coming to rest on the runway. All three crew members escaped uninjured and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The aircraft was completing a cargo flight from Belém to São Paulo with an intermediate stop in Brasilía, carrying three crew members and a load of various goods such as mail and fish. While descending to São Paulo-Guarulhos Airport in good weather conditions at an altitude of 10,000 feet, the crew encountered technical problems with the trim system. Several manual controls and tests were conducted and the system worked before failing again between 6,000 and 4,700 feet. The captain decided to continue the approach but the aircraft became unstable and nosed down on short final. It landed hard on runway 09R, causing the undercarriage to be torn off. The aircraft slid for about 1,000 metres then veered off runway to the left and came to rest in a grassy area. All three crew members escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

The captain said that he flew the VOR approach to runway 32. At 2,500 feet, the captain said that they were out of the clouds and initiated a visual straight-in approach. After aligning the airplane with the runway, the captain said he noticed that there was contamination on the runway, "maybe compacted snow or maybe ice with fresh snow over it." The captain briefed that they would perform a go-around if by midfield they were not decelerating adequately. The captain said that they touched down within the first third of the runway. Close to midfield the airplane fishtailed. Past midfield, the captain called a go-around. The first officer said that the captain added power and he retracted the airbrakes. The first officer exclaimed, "There is not enough runway! I braced myself as the aircraft went into the snow." The first officer said that at about 2 miles out from the runway, the unicom called and said that braking action was nil. A Notice to Airman, in effect at the time of the accident for the airport stated, "icy runway, nil braking."

A Piper PA-31-350, registration C-GNIE, serial number 31-7552047, was on a scheduled (APO1023) instrument flight rules mail service flight between Rouyn Airport, Quebec, and Val-d'Or Airport, Quebec, at approximately 1845 . After checking for prevailing weather conditions at the destination airport, the pilot decided to make a visual approach on runway 36. The pilot reported by radio at two miles on final approach for runway 36 and then stated that he was going to begin his approach again after momentarily losing visual contact with the runway. This was the last radio contact with the aircraft. No emergency locator transmitter signal was received by the flight service station specialist. Emergency procedures were initiated, and searches were conducted. The aircraft was found by a search and rescue team about three hours after the crash. The aircraft was lying about two miles southeast of the end of runway 36; it was substantially damaged. The pilot suffered serious injuries.

On approach to Puerto López Airport, the twin engine aircraft was too low and crashed in hilly terrain located few km from the airfield. The aircraft was destroyed and all 8 occupants were killed.

The twin engine aircraft departed Douala on a charter flight to N'Djamena, carrying one pilot, one steward and two members of the Chadian Government. While approaching N'Djamena Airport, weather conditions deteriorated and the visibility was limited due to a sand storm. Probably to establish a visual contact with the ground, the pilot reduced his altitude when the aircraft struck a tree and crashed about 3 km from the runway 05 threshold, near Kousséri, Cameroon. The steward was seriously injured while all three other occupants were killed, among them the pilot, a Spanish citizen and both passengers who were Amderamane Dadi, General Secretary of the Presidency, and Ali Ahmed Lanine, Chadian Minister for Economic Promotion and Development.

The pilot and passengers were on a instrument flight returning home. When they were within range of the destination airport, the controller cleared the flight for an instrument approach. Moment later the pilot canceled his instrument flight plan and told the controller that he was below the weather. Low clouds, reduced visibility and fog existed at the destination airport at the time of the accident. The airplane collided with a river bank as the pilot maneuvered for the visual approach. The post-crash examination of the airplane failed to disclose a mechanical problem.

On final approach to Macapá Airport, the left engine exploded and caught fire. The aircraft lost height, descended below the glide and eventually crash landed in a grassy area to the right of the runway and came to rest, bursting into flames. All five occupants escaped uninjured while the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.