Rockwell Gulfstream 690C Jetprop 840

Orion Aerial

C%26C Flying

The airplane sustained substantial damage when it collided with terrain during an approach to landing at the Myrtle Beach International Airport (MYR), Myrtle Beach, South Carolina. The commercial pilot was seriously injured. The airplane was privately owned and operated under the provisions of Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 as a personal flight. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed, and an instrument flight rules flight plan was filed for the flight that departed Greater Cumberland Regional Airport (CBE), Cumberland, Maryland. According to the pilot, he was following radar vectors for the downwind leg of the traffic pattern to runway 36 at MYR. He turned for final approach and was inside the outer marker, when he encountered heavy turbulence. As he continued the approach, he described what he believed to be a microburst and the airplane started to descend rapidly. The pilot added full power in an attempt to climb, but the airplane continued to descend until it collided with the Atlantic Ocean 1 mile from the approach end of runway 36. A review of pictures of the wreckage provided by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed the cockpit section of the airplane was broken away from the fuselage during the impact sequence. At 1456, the weather recorded at MYR, included broken clouds at 6,000 ft, few clouds at 3,500 ft and wind from 010° at 8 knots. The temperature was 14°C, and the dew point was 9°C. The altimeter setting was 30.27 inches of mercury. The airplane was retained for further examination.

Private Venezuelan

The twin engine aircraft was performing a private flight from the island of Los Roques to Charallave-Óscar Machado Zuloaga Airport. Shortly after take off, while in initial climb, the aircraft went out of control and crashed in a lagoon, few metres off shore. All seven occupants evacuated and were slightly injured while the aircraft broke in two in shallow water.

Mid Kansas Agri Company

The instrument-rated private pilot was conducting a personal cross-country flight in the multiengine airplane under instrument flight rules (IFR). As the flight neared its destination, the controller issued clearance for a GPS approach, and, shortly thereafter, the pilot informed the controller that he needed to review the approach procedure before continuing the approach. The controller acknowledged, and, after the pilot reported that he was ready to proceed with the approach, the controller again issued clearance for the GPS approach. Radar data showed that, during the approach, the airplane tracked a course that was offset about 0.5 miles right of the final approach course until it was about 1 mile from the runway threshold. The airplane then turned left towards the threshold and descended to an altitude of about 145 ft above ground level over the runway threshold before the pilot performed a missed approach. It is likely that the pilot performed the missed approach because he was unable to align the airplane with the runway before it crossed the threshold. The controller provided radar vectors for the airplane to return to the approach course and cleared the airplane a third time for the GPS approach to the runway. Radar data showed that the airplane was established on the final approach course as it passed the initial approach fix; however, before it reached the final approach fix, its airspeed slowed to about 111 knots, and it began a left turn with a 25 degree bank angle. About 18 seconds later, while still in the turn, the airplane slowed to 108 knots and began descending rapidly. The airplane's rate of descent exceeded 10,000 feet per minute, and it impacted the ground about 9 miles from the destination airport. Examination of the accident site showed that the airplane was severely fragmented and fire damaged with debris scattered for about 450 feet. Postaccident examination of the wreckage did not reveal evidence of any preimpact failures; however, damage to the left engine indicated that it was not producing power at the time of the accident. The severity of impact and fire damage to the airplane and engine precluded determination of the reason for the loss of left engine power. Weather conditions present at the time of the accident were conducive to super cooled liquid water droplets, and the airplane likely encountered moderate or greater icing conditions. Several pilot reports (PIREPs) for moderate, light, trace, and negative icing were reported to air traffic control but were not distributed publicly into the national airspace system, and there was no airmen's meteorological information (AIRMET) issued for icing. However, the pilot received standard and abbreviated weather briefings for the flight, and his most recent weather briefing included three PIREPs for icing conditions in the area of the accident site. Given the weather information provided, the pilot should have known icing conditions were possible. Even so, the public distribution of additional PIREPs would have likely increased the weather situational awareness by the pilot, weather forecasters, and air traffic controllers. The airplane was equipped with deicing and anti-icing systems that included wing and empennage deice boots and engine inlet heaters. Due to impact damage to the cockpit, the positions of the switches for the ice protection systems at the time of the accident could not be determined. Although the airplane's airspeed of 108 knots when the steep descent began was above its published stall speed of 77 knots, both bank angle and ice accretion would have increased the stall speed. In addition, the published minimum control airspeed was 93 knots. It is likely that, after the airplane passed the initial approach fix, the left engine lost power, the airplane's airspeed began to decay, and the asymmetric thrust resulted in a left turn. As the airspeed continued to decay, it decreased below either stall speed or minimum control airspeed, and the airplane entered an uncontrolled descent.

JW Operating Company

The airplane, a Rockwell Grand Commander 690C Jetprop 840, was "cleared for the approach" and approximately eight minutes later was observed emerging from the clouds, flying from west to east. Witnesses reported that the nose of the airplane dropped and the airplane subsequently impacted terrain in a near vertical attitude. Impact forces and a post impact fire destroyed the airplane. Examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. Weather at the time of the accident was depicted as overcast with three to six miles visibility. An icing probability chart depicted the probability for icing during the airplane's descent as 76 percent. AIRMETS for moderate icing and instrument meteorological conditions had been issued for the airplane’s route of flight. Another airplane in the vicinity reported light to moderate mixed icing. It could not be confirmed what information the pilot had obtained in a weather briefing, as a briefing was not obtained through a recorded source. A weight and balance calculation revealed that the accident airplane was 1,000 pounds over gross weight at the time of departure and 560 pounds over gross weight at the time of the accident. It was estimated that the center of gravity was at or just forward of design limitations.

Procuraduría General de la República

On May 2, 2004, at 1600 central daylight time, a Twin Commander 840 twin turbo-prop airplane, Mexican registration XC-JEH, was destroyed following a loss of control following an encounter with weather while in cruise flight near Milpillas, State of Aguas Calientes, in the Republic of Mexico. The airline transport rated pilot, first officer and the 5 passengers on board were fatally injured. The public use flight originated from Ciudad Juarez, State of Chihuahua, approximately 1400, and was destined for the Mexico City International Airport, in Mexico City. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed for the domestic cross-country flight for which an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed.

Central Azucarero Portuguesa C. A.

Crashed in unknown circumstances while approaching La Carlota-General Francisco de Miranda Airport. Both pilots were killed.

Casper Air Service

While in a descent for arrival at the destination airport, the aircraft sustained structural failure with the right outer wing, horizontal stabilizer, and vertical stabilizer separating from the aircraft. The aircraft impacted approximately 10 miles from the planned destination. According to radar data and other research, the descent was conducted at vne and known severe turbulence was present in the area at the time of the accident.

Transporte Aéreo Ejecutivo - TAE

About 30 minutes into the flight, the pilot informed ATC about his position when contact was lost. It was later reported that the aircraft has been hijacked and crashed landed somewhere in the Sur Cayambe province. All seven occupants were released but the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.

Alaska Helicopters

On October 11, 1990, about 1730 Alaska daylight time, a wheel-equipped Gulfstream Aerospace 690C Turbine Commander airplane, N45Q, is presumed to have crashed in the Arctic Ocean about 200 miles north-northwest of Deadhorse, Alaska. Neither the airplane nor its occupants have been located. The airplane was being operated by the US Department of the Interior, as a visual flight rules (VFR) public use local game management flight, for the purpose of locating radio collared polar bears, when the accident occurred. The airplane, registered to Bowhead Equipment Company of Seattle, Washington, and operated by Alaska Helicopters, Inc. of Anchorage, Alaska, is presumed to have been destroyed. The certificated airline transport pilot, and the two passengers, are presumed to have received fatal injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the point of departure. A VFR flight plan was filed by the pilot for a 5.5 hour flight originating and terminating at Deadhorse. The accident flight originated at the Deadhorse Airport about 1429. According to information received from the Federal Aviation Administration's (FAA), Air Route Traffic Control Center, radar contact was lost with the accident airplane while it was maneuvering at 22,000 feet msl, about 200 miles north-northwest of Deadhorse. The accident airplane did not reach the intended destination of Deadhorse, and was not located at any airport. The FAA issued an alert notice (ALNOT) at 2221. Search personnel began an extensive search effort that included a high altitude, special radar-equipped airplane, surface vessels, and ground search personnel. The search was suspended on October 26, 1990.

Private Colombian

Crashed in unknown circumstances while on a flight from Cali to Bogotá. Both occupants were killed.

H%26H Industrial Sales

While on final approach to runway 09 the aircraft struck a 42 feet power pole with the right wing. The wing was torn from the aircraft. The aircraft landed inverted 400 feet east of the pole. The runway threshold lights are displaced 165 feet from the runway end for night operations. Reil lights are located at the runway end. A power line crosses the extended centerline 825 feet west of the runway end. Red obstruction lights mark the tops of the poles. On the night of the accident the obstruction lights were inoperative. Witnesses reported that the aircraft appeared to be flying lower than normal in the traffic pattern. Both occupants were killed.

Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation

The aircraft had been on sales demonstration flights and was on a delivery flight from Memphis, TN to Dallas, TX. The plane was observed departing at 1550 CDT in a max performance climb. Radar info from mode C of the transponder returns indicated that the aircraft climbed from 1,000 to 16,000 feet in 7 min and 14 seconds. Level flight was indicated at 16,300 ft from 1558:16 to 1601:17 CDT. The last alt return was from 16,000 ft at 2201:07. Two more returns were received at 2201:49 and 2202:08, but with no altitude readout. At about that time, the aircraft was observed spiraling down, counterclockwise, with a portion of the left wing missing. The wing tip (outer wing panel outboard from about wing station 190), left aileron and left engine tail cone panel were found about 3 miles from the main wreckage impact point. An examination revealed that the wing panel separation occurred upward from positive overload forces. No evidence was found of fatigue or pre-existing failure. Light to moderate turbulence was reported between 14,000 and 18,000 ft msl. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Burwick Bay Oil Company

While on a LOC/DME approach to Patterson-Harry P. Williams Airport in marginal weather conditions, the pilot was completing a left turn when the airplane collided with trees and crashed. Both occupants were killed.

Ramaniko Trust

On final approach to Parys Airport, the twin engine airplane went out of control and crashed few hundred meters short of runway, bursting into flames. All five occupants were killed.

Private Argentinian

The twin engine airplane departed Buenos Aires-Aeroparque-Jorge Newbury Airport on a flight to San Miguel de Tucumán. En route, the pilot encountered technical problems and was cleared to divert to Paraná Airport. On descent, he was forced to attempt an emergency landing in a field located in Irigoyen, about 7 km northeast of Paraná Airport. All four occupants were rescued and the aircraft was damaged beyond repair.