New Jersey

The aircraft was transferred from the maintenance facilities to the main terminal by a technical crew when control was lost. The airplane collided with the USAir Terminal and the cockpit was destroyed.

While in cruise flight in a level six thunderstorm over the Atlantic Ocean, the pilot reported the airplane's 'gyro' had failed. The airplane then began a left turn and disappeared off radar. The airplane and its occupants were located on the ocean floor about 48 days after the accident. The airplane had broken apart in-flight. The outboard section of each wing and the tail section were not recovered. The airplane's pneumatic system was destroyed. According to fss records, the pilot had been briefed on the weather along his route of flight.

This flight was the ninth sightseeing flight of the day for this airplane and pilot. No problems had been reported on the earlier flights. After takeoff and at an altitude of approximately 150 feet, the engine lost power and it began to sputter. The pilot initiated a left turn to land on a field north of the airport. During this turn, the pilot lost control of the airplane, and it impacted the ground in a nose low attitude. A post-impact fire destroyed the airplane and severely burned the engine. An examination of the engine revealed no discrepancies. The pilot was seriously injured while both passengers were killed.

The pilot was approaching Atlantic City Airport by night and poor weather conditions when the twin engine aircraft struck the ground and crashed few miles short of runway. The aircraft was destroyed and the pilot, sole on board, was killed.

On January 16, 1989, Machen nacelle mounted induction air intercoolers were installed on N6894Y. On December 14, 1989, an annual inspection was performed, and a Machen superstar i-680 kit was installed. On December 21, 1989, N6894Y was at 6,000 feet when the pilot reported a problem with the right engine. The pilot reported a fire in the right engine. A couple of minutes later, he radioed he could not shut down the right engine. At 1034:37 the pilot advised his 'right engine just tore off' and that he was 'in a spin heading down.' The exhaust tailpipe of the left turbocharger on the right engine was found to have separated. Metallurgical examination revealed the tailpipe failed due to fatigue cracking. Records showed that part I of piper service bulletin 920 (engine tailpipe inspection) had been completed, while part II (addition of fire detection system) had not been accomplished due to the lack of available kits. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

The aircraft was on final approach to runway 30 at Somerset airport, Somerville, New Jersey when there was a loss of power of the right engine. The pilot raised the landing gear and flaps, and the aircraft rolled to the right, descended toward the ground and crashed. The fuel selector valve to the right wing tank was in the closed position. The right engine magnetos were defective. All four occupants were injured, two seriously.

The crew was positioning the aircraft in preparation for a revenue flight and executing a non-directional beacon (NDB) approach to runway 05. The captain reported that the copilot was flying the aircraft. However, the captain stated that he took control of the aircraft during the approach and made some control corrections before returning control of the aircraft to the copilot. Radar data indicated that aircraft control was erratic throughout the approach and that the airspeed and descent rates were high (3,000 fpm sink rate) shortly before the accident. The aircraft struck a fence short of the runway and impacted the ground. The captain said he realized the aircraft was drifting left of course but did not correct it. He said he told the copilot to add power twice during the approach. The copilot's training history indicated difficulty in control, scan of instruments, and with instrument procedures. Company management described the captain as passive and the copilot as aggressive. Supervision of training and operations by management and surveillance of the company by the FAA was considered inadequate by NTSB.

Witnesses reported a normal takeoff. Radar indicated the aircraft turned right as cleared and began cruise at 1900 feet, heading northwest at 235 knots. 65 seconds after calling clear of the control zone the aircraft's radar track ended. The aircraft was fragmented by the impact with all flight control surfaces and aircraft extremities found at the impact site. Pitch trim was found in the normal cruise setting with gear, flaps, and spoilers in the retracted position. Examination of the engines indicated operation at impact. Aircraft struck the terrain in approx 80° nose down, wings level attitude and heading opposite to the previous direction of flight. In flight simulator tests, with the aircraft initially in level flight at 1,900 feet and then rolled inverted and the pitch control moved aft, the aircraft attitude was similar to the attitude at impact. There were two unauthorized passengers on board, one was the copilot's wife. The impact point was in a very small region of uncontrolled airspace very near the copilot's and relative's homes. The copilot was new to jet operations. The aircraft departed with several discrepancies uncleared. All four occupants were killed.

The aircraft disappeared from radar at approximately 1 mile final on a night ILS runway 13 approach. Radar data indicated that the aircraft completed almost 180° of turn prior to disappearing. The aircraft crashed in a heavily wooded area. No evidence of a preexisting failure on the engines or airframe was found. When the flying history of the pilot was examined, the hours presented on his resume exceeded his log book and his log book hours could not be totally verified. The copilot did not have an instrument rating. The pilot that preceded the accident aircraft on the approach said he experienced moderate turbulence, windshear and that the approach lights were very distracting. The pilot had received a weather briefing which included wind shear and moderate turbulence. All three occupants were killed.

During the takeoff roll witnesses observed the aircraft swerve from left to right with the engine(s) 'missing' or intermittent. The aircraft lifted off and climbed to approximately 50 feet agl and continued across a waterway in a left turn with the landing gear extended. The aircraft pitched up and rolled left wing down into the water. Examination of the engines revealed a cracked coil in the left magneto of the right engine. No other mechanical malfunction/failure could be determined. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.