Airport (less than 10 km from airport)

The aircraft was completing flight UNO-052P from Bamako to Gao on behalf of the United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA). En route, the crew encountered technical problems with the electrical system when the right generator failed. The crew attempted to start the APU several times but without success when the left generator also failed. The undercarriage were lowered manually and the landing was completed on a wet runway in rainy conditions. After touchdown, 500 metres past the runway threshold, the crew started the braking procedure but was unable to deploy the thrust reversers. At a speed of 140-160 km/h, the aircraft overran, lost its undercarriage and came to rest in a waterlogged land. All 11 occupants were rescued, among them six were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Parked at position 306 at Shanghai-Pudong Airport, the aircraft was prepared for a cargo service (flight ET3739) to Santiago de Chile with intermediate stops in Addis Ababa and São Paulo. At 1520LT, while being loaded, the crew contacted ground on the frequency and sent a mayday message, saying that a fire erupted in the cargo compartment. Fire brigade arrived quickly on the scene but the airplane was partially destroyed by fire and damaged beyond repair. Both pilots evacuated safely.

After landing at Beledweyne-Haji-Sheikh Mahmud Hasan (Ugas Khalif) Airport, the aircraft went out of control and came to rest against several earth mounds, bursting into flames. All three crew members managed to escape while the aircraft was destroyed by fire. The crew was completing a cargo flight from Djibouti City on behalf of the African Union Mission to Somalia (AMISOM) and it is believed that the aircraft was carrying food supplies.

Four minutes after takeoff from Tengará da Serra Airport Runway 20, while climbing, the twin engine airplane entered an uncontrolled descent. One minute later, it crashed with a high angle of attack in a cornfield, bursting into flames. The airplane disintegrated on impact and both occupants were killed.

On 8 June 2020, at approximately 2205 hours local time (L), the mishap aircraft (MA), a C-130H (tail number (T/N) 94-6706), was involved in a mishap during a routine mobility airlift mission from Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, into Al Taji (Camp Taji), Iraq, when it failed to come to a stop during landing, overran the runway, and impacted a concrete barrier. All 26 mishap crew (MC) members and passengers survived the mishap, with relatively minor injuries to two of the individuals. The MA was damaged beyond repair, and was valued at $35,900,000. The MA was from the 165th Airlift Wing (165 AW), Georgia Air National Guard (ANG), was manned with Wyoming ANG crew members deployed from the 153d Airlift Wing (153 AW), in Cheyenne, Wyoming, and assigned to the 386th Air Expeditionary Wing (386 AEW) at Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait. The mishap occurred at the end of the first planned leg of the MC’s mission on 8 June 2020. The MC departed Ali Al Salem Air Base, Kuwait, at approximately 2053L, with an uneventful start, taxi, takeoff, and cruise to Camp Taji. During descent into Camp Taji, the MC prepared the MA for a nighttime landing, using night vision devices. During this time, the MC turned the MA earlier than their planned turn point, did not descend to lower altitudes in accordance with their planned descent, and allowed the airspeed to exceed recommended maximum speeds for the configuration the plane was in. During the landing, the MA continued to be above the planned glideslope and maintained excessive airspeed, with a nose-down attitude until touchdown. The MA proceeded to “porpoise” or oscillate down the runway from the point of touchdown until the MA was slowed sufficiently by use of reverse thrust from the engines to allow the MA to settle onto the wheels, which in turn allowed for the brakes to engage. The MA, despite slowing somewhat, had less than 1,000 feet of runway remaining by that point, and thus overran the runway and did not come to a complete stop until it impacted a 12-foot-high concrete barrier, approximately 600 feet past the runway.

The pilot departed on a cross country flight in a turbine-powered, multiengine airplane at night and in visual meteorological conditions. Recovered GPS data revealed that as the airplane accelerated down the runway, it drifted to the right of the runway centerline. A video recording showed that shortly after takeoff, the airplane rolled right, the nose dropped, and the airplane impacted the ground. It came to rest on its left side with both wings separated and the fuselage was highly fragmented forward of the main landing gear. A post-accident examination of the airframe and engines found no mechanical malfunctions or anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. A witness that spoke to the pilot shortly before the accident flight stated that the pilot exhibited difficulty in completing some paperwork; however, no medical reasoning for this difficulty could be determined based upon the available evidence. The investigation determined that at the time of the accident the pilot had been on duty for about 19 hours and 20 minutes, which was contrary to duty and rest regulations. At his estimated arrival time into the destination, the pilot would have accumulated about 20 hours and 54 minutes of duty time. The investigation was unable to determine if the pilot took advantage of the opportunity for rest that existed during the day, and therefore could not determine if fatigue contributed to the accident. Investigators were unable to determine the reason for the loss of control on takeoff with the available information.

According the commercial pilot and a flight instructor rated check pilot, they were conducting their first long-duration, aerial observation flight in the multiengine airplane, which was recently acquired by the operator. They departed with full fuel tanks, competed the 5-hour aerial observation portion of the flight, and began to return to the destination airport. About 15 miles from the airport, the left engine fuel warning light illuminated. Within a few seconds, the right engine stopped producing power. They attempted to restart the engine and turned the airplane toward an alternate airport that was closer. The pilots then turned on the electric fuel pump, the right engine began surging, and soon after the left engine stopped producing power. They turned both electric fuel pumps to the low setting, both engines continued to surge, and the pilots continued toward the alternate airport. When they were about 3 miles from the airport, both engines lost total power, and they elected to land on a highway. When they were a few feet above the ground, power returned briefly to the left engine, which resulted in the airplane climbing and beginning to roll. The commercial pilot pulled the yoke aft to avoid a highway sign, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall, and subsequent impact with trees and terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. Although both pilots reported the fuel gauges indicated 20 gallons of fuel remaining on each side when the engines stopped producing power, the flight instructor noted that there was no fuel in the airplane at the time of the accident. In addition, according to a Federal Aviation Administration inspector who responded to the accident site, both fuel tanks were breached and there was no evidence of fuel spillage.

The airplane departed San Fernando Airport on an ambulance flight to Esquel, carrying a doctor, a nurse and two pilots. On approach to Esquel-Brigadier General Antonio Parodi Airport at night, the crew encountered poor visibility (200 metres) and the visual contact with the runway was lost intermittently. Nevertheless, the crew continued the approach and at decision height, the captain decided to continue the descent. After crossing Runway 23 threshold at a height of 78 feet, the pilot-in-command initiated a go-around procedure and turned to the left. The airplane continued in a left hand turn, causing the left wing tip fuel tank to struck the ground. Out of control, the airplane crashed on a small embankment located about 400 metres to the left of the runway centerline, coming to rest upside down and bursting into flames. Both passengers were killed and both pilots were seriously injured. Two days later, the copilot died from injuries sustained.

On approach to Bardale Airstrip, the twin engine aircraft struck the ground and crashed 5 km from the airport, bursting into flames. The aircraft was totally destroyed and all five occupants were killed. The crew was enroute from Mogadiscio to Bardale with an en route stop in Baidao, carrying medical supplies and mosquito nets.

Shortly after takeoff the pilot reported to the air traffic controller that he was losing engine power. The pilot then said he was going to divert to a nearby airport and accepted headings to the airport. The pilot then reported the loss of engine power had stabilized, so he wanted to return to his departure airfield. A few moments later the pilot reported that he was losing engine power again and he needed to go back to his diversion airport. The controller reported that another airport was at the pilot’s 11 o’clock position and about 3 miles. The pilot elected to divert to that airport. The airplane was at 4,500 ft and too close to the airport, so the pilot flew a 360° turn to set up for a left base. During the turn outbound, the engine lost all power, and the pilot was not able to reach the runway. The airplane impacted a field, short of the airport. The airplane’s wings separated in the accident and a small postcrash fire developed. A review of the airplane’s maintenance records revealed maintenance was performed on the day of the accident flight to correct reported difficulty moving the Power Control Lever (PCL) into reverse position. The control cables were inspected from the pilot’s control quadrant to the engine, engine controls, and propeller governor. A static rigging check of the PCL was performed with no anomalies noted. Severe binding was observed on the beta control cable (propeller reversing cable). The cable assembly was removed from the engine, cleaned, reinstalled, and rigged in accordance with manufacturer guidance. During a post-accident examination of the engine and propeller assembly, the beta control cable was found mis-rigged and the propeller blades were found in the feathered position. The beta valve plunger was extended beyond the chamfer face of the propeller governor, consistent with a position that would shut off oil flow from the governor oil pump to the constant speed unit (CSU). A wire could be inserted through both the forward and aft beta control cable clevis inspection holes that function as check points for proper thread engagement. The forward beta control cable clevis adjustment nut was rotated full aft. The swaging ball end on the forward end of the beta control cable was not properly secured between the clevis rod end and the push-pull control terminal and was free to rotate within the assembly. Before takeoff, the beta valve was in an operational position that allowed oil flow to the CSU, resulting in normal propeller control. Vibration due to engine operation and beta valve return spring force most likely caused the improperly secured swaging ball to rotate (i.e. “unthread”) forward on the beta control cable. The resulting lengthening of the reversing cable assembly allowed the beta valve to stroke forward and shut off oil flow to the propeller CSU. Without propeller servo oil flow to maintain propeller control, the propeller faded to the high pitch/feather position due to normal leakage in the transfer bearing. The reported loss of power is consistent with a loss of thrust due to the beta control cable being mis-rigged during the most recent maintenance work.