Preliminary Reports

The airplane was substantially damaged upon impact with terrain at 2243 Central time following loss of control shortly after takeoff. The commercial pilot, sole occupant of the airplane, was fatally injured. Night instrument conditions prevailed for the Part 135 cargo flight. Soon after takeoff, the pilot reported gyro problems. The airplane was given instructions to turn left, but the pilot initiated a right turn. The aircraft made two steep right 360-degree turns and disappeared from radar.

At about 1230 Central time, the airplane was destroyed upon impact with terrain following loss of control while on an instrument approach. The instrument-rated private pilot and sole occupant was fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed. According to radar and voice data for the flight, the pilot attempted to intercept an ILS localizer three times without success. The pilot reported having trouble performing a coupled approach. A witness, a retired Navy instructor pilot, observed the accident airplane and stated, “The [airplane] exhibited a classic approach turn stall maneuver I had taught many times, but this time with no altitude to recover.”

The airplane broke up in flight at approximately 1400 Pacific time. The commercial pilot was fatally injured and the airplane was destroyed. Visual conditions prevailed. A witnesses reported hearing a loud screaming noise overhead. He observed an airplane traveling south to north, suddenly “disintegrate,” and described the wings and fuselage floating to the ground. Air traffic controllers reported the pilot requested a frequency change while climbing, and when the airplane was at around 7000 feet they lost radar contact. No other radio communications with the pilot were reported.

At about 1534 Pacific time, the two aircraft collided in flight while approaching to land. The midair collision occurred at a location and in a flight direction consistent with the 172 entering the left-hand traffic pattern, and the 150 being in the patterns downwind leg. All four aboard both aircraft were fatally injured; a person on the ground also was killed. Both airplanes were fragmented during the midair collision and were subsequently destroyed upon falling nose down into buildings, automobiles and parking lots. A witness reported continuously observing both airplanes cruise toward each other for at least five seconds preceding the collision. No maneuvering was observed during the seconds immediately prior to the impact.

The helicopter was substantially damaged at 1234 Eastern time when it collided with the ground while maneuvering. Visual conditions prevailed. The airline transport pilot and private-pilot passenger were fatally injured. A witness stated the helicopter had been practicing takeoffs and landings. He observed the helicopter at a hover; it then “went up very fast to an altitude of about 200 feet” and made a right turn in a nose-down attitude. The helicopter then rolled to the left and became inverted. The rotor blades stopped and the helicopter continued to roll left until it became right side up and descended in a nose-down, left turn colliding with the ground and catching fire, followed by an explosion.

The helicopter was destroyed when it impacted an Interstate highway at about 2255 Pacific time. The private pilot and sole occupant was killed. Visual conditions prevailed. A witness reported the helicopter was flying unusually low, not much higher than a typical freeway overpass. He observed a bright spark near the helicopter, which then dove toward the freeway, impacting the pavement directly in front of him.

The airplane sustained substantial damage on impact with terrain during an approach for landing at about 1237 Eastern time. The pilot, pilot-rated passenger in the right seat, and two passengers were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. A witness, who was a pilot and FAA inspector, stated the airplane appeared to be flying very slowly, level but descending, with the landing gear extended. The aircraft continued to slow, then stopped flying and stalled. The nose and left wing dropped sharply as the plane entered a counterclockwise spin. It made about 1 to 2 turns, then disappeared below the tree line.

The airplane was substantially damaged at 1400 Eastern time when it crashed into a frozen marsh following a loss of engine power shortly after takeoff. The pilot reported no injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, after a normal preflight and run-up, the engine lost power shortly after takeoff. He declared an emergency and attempted to turn to the perpendicular runway, but the airplane did not have enough energy or altitude and he landed in the frozen marsh between runways. Examination of the airplane by an FAA inspector found the fuel tanks full, with no contamination.

At about 0715 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power. The private pilot and the sole occupant was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to the pilot, while in cruise flight at 7500 feet msl, the airplanes engine lost partial power. The pilot turned on the electric fuel pump, switched fuel tanks, cycled the propeller, adjusted the mixture and throttle settings, and worked through the emergency checklist. When engine power could not be restored, the pilot elected to land in an open field. The pilot was able to exit the airplane unassisted. The recovery crew reported the airplanes left wing contained approximately 28 gallons of liquid consistent with 100LL fuel. The right wing fuel tank had been compromised during the accident.

At 1515 Eastern time, the airplane collided with the ground and was destroyed. Instrument conditions prevailed. The private instrument-rated pilot and passenger received fatal injuries. According to ATC, the pilot had read back his clearance to descend from 8000 feet to 6000 feet when radar and radio contact with the flight was lost. Witnesses in the local area reported hearing an airplane and then a crash. The witnesses stated that the airplanes engine sounded very loud until the impact. The wreckage path was 3000 feet long by 500 feet wide, on a 145-degree heading from the first fragment (a fiberglass segment of the right wing tip) to the main wreckage.