Preliminary Reports

The 58-hour student pilot later stated the airport was reporting 27-to-35-knot sustained winds with gusts from 40 to 45 knots. The pilot then landed on Runway 2 without flaps. During the flare, a gust of wind “picked up” the right side of the airplane and subsequently the airplane dropped to the runway. Examination of the airplane revealed that the fuselage just aft of the engine mount attachment point was buckled.

The airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain at 1034 Eastern time. The Canadian certificated private pilot and the passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed at the site; however, initiation of the event occurred in instrument conditions. According to preliminary information, the airplane was in cruise flight at 6200 feet msl, the minimum sector altitude (MSA) for that location, when the pilot reported airframe icing and requested a lower altitude. However, because of terrain, the controller gave the pilot a 30-degree left turn. Another pilot, in an airplane about 30 nm to the east, subsequently reported cloud tops at 7500 feet. The controller asked the pilot if he would like a climb to 8000 feet and the pilot responded that he would. About three minutes later, the pilot advised the controller that he was losing altitude. The controller told him to maintain whatever altitude he could, and advised him of the location of the nearest airport. There were no further communications from the airplane.

At about 1345 Eastern daylight time, the airplane broke up in flight off the shore of Grand Bahamas, Bahamas. Visual conditions prevailed. The private pilot and passenger were fatally injured. The flight originated from the Grand Bahama International Airport, Freeport, Grand Bahamas at 1319.

The airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing at 1654 Mountain time, following a loss of engine power. The commercial pilot and two passengers were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed, and a flight plan was not filed for the Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. According to the pilot, while descending through 8500 feet, the engine “began vibrating and broke.” The pilot then attempted a forced landing to a gravel road. Due to the airplanes altitude at the time of the engine failure, the pilot elected to land the airplane on the road with the landing gear retracted.

At about 1620 Pacific time, the airplane collided with terrain, sustaining substantial damage. The private pilot received minor injuries and his passenger received serious injuries. According to the pilot, three or four minutes after takeoff, the engine started to lose power, but did not completely stop running. He therefore switched fuel tanks, checked the magnetos, activated the fuel boost pump, and switched to alternate inductions air. When none of these actions seemed to help, the pilot turned back toward the airport, but elected a forced landing on snow-covered terrain. He touched down with the landing gear extended in about three feet of snow. The impact resulted in crushing damage to the belly of the aircraft.

The aircraft impacted terrain at about 0840 Mountain time during a go-around from a simulated engine-out landing. The flight instructor and his student were not injured, but the airplane sustained substantial damage. The flight was being operated in visual conditions. According to the flight instructor, his student was practicing a simulated engine-out approach, with the intention of executing a go-around during the last part of the final approach. The go-around was initiated when the airplane was about 100 feet agl by the student, who pushed the throttle to the full-forward position. The engine momentarily coughed and the airplane continued to sink. Just as the engine accelerated to full power, the airplane struck the ground on rough/uneven terrain. The accident sequence resulted in both external and internal damage to both wings.

The airplane was destroyed at approximately 2023 Central time following a collision with terrain. The instrument-rated commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed. The pilot was receiving vectors for an instrument approach to runway 04R. After acknowledging a heading of 335 degrees, radar showed the airplane turning through the assigned heading and continuing a clockwise turn. The last radar plot shows the airplane heading approximately 046 degrees at 1600 feet, with a groundspeed of 207 knots. The initial impact point consisted of a crater that measured roughly two feet deep, four feet wide and six feet long.

At 0525 Eastern time, the airplane collided with a swamp and the ground while maneuvering. Night visual conditions prevailed. The airplane received substantial damage; the non-instrument-rated private pilot and one passenger were fatally injured. A witness later stated he heard an airplane approaching. He looked towards the west; the ceilings were between 800 to 1000 feet, and it was dark with very little ambient light. He observed the airplane flying from the west to the east, and the navigation and landing lights were on. The airplane appeared to be near the base of the clouds, and it passed north of his house and started a turn to the north. The airplane disappeared from view and he did not hear any change in engine noise.

The airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted water at about 2240 Eastern time, shortly after takeoff. The solo pilot was fatally injured. Night visual conditions prevailed. The accident flight was the pilots first solo flight after completing a checkout with a local FBO. According to preliminary information, the airplane departed Runway 31 and was on a left crosswind leg when it descended and impacted the Gulf of Mexico, approximately -mile west of the shore. The wreckage was recovered the following day. Fifteen threads were measured on the stabilator trim jackscrew. According to the aircraft manufacturer, fifteen threads corresponds to a near full nose-up trim position, with 16 threads equating to full nose-up trim, and five threads equating to neutral trim. The airspeed indicator displayed 75 knots, the attitude indicator was tumbled to the right, and the vertical speed indicator displayed an approximate 2000-fpm descent.

At about 2150 Mountain time, the airplane collided with terrain, sustaining substantial damage. The solo private pilot sustained minor injuries. Night visual conditions prevailed. The pilot was conducting a solo, night, cross-country in preparation for obtaining a commercial pilot certificate. Approximately 45 to 60 minutes into the flight, the pilot subsequently reported encountering rain and snow at 7500 feet msl. He entered a standard rate turn to the left but received a terrain warning. The pilot immediately pulled up and did not recall the impact.