Preliminary Reports

At 1910 Mountain time, the rental airplane, was substantially damaged during a landing on Runway 32 at the Belle Fourche Municipal Airport (EFC). Night visual conditions prevailed; the Private pilot reported no injuries while three passengers sustained minor injuries. The flight originated from the Front Range Airport in Denver, Colo., at 1600. Following the first landing attempt, the pilot executed a go-around, during which the landing light circuit breaker tripped. He reset the circuit breaker twice and then switched the landing light off after the circuit breaker would not reset. Additionally, the pilot stated that he could not get the instrument panel lights to operate, and the overhead…

The airplane impacted mountainous terrain while maneuvering at approximately 1530 Mountain time. The Commercial pilot and two of the three passengers were killed; the other passenger received serious injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. At the time of the accident, a motorglider was flying near where the accident occurred. The motorglider pilot and the accident-aircraft pilot coordinated a rendezvous away from the departure airport. Subsequently, the accident airplane made one pass above the glider, then circled and made a second pass above and to the left of the glider. The glider pilot then watched the airplane continue heading north straight out in front of him for about 5 to 10 secon…

At about 1020 Mountain time, the Part 135 commercial cargo flight collided with flat open terrain.Visual conditions prevailed; the aircraft was operating on an IFR flight plan. The aircraft was destroyed by impact damage and a post-crash fire. The Airline Transport pilot-in-command and another deadheading pilot were fatally injured. The flight originated from Salt Lake City, Utah, about one hour prior to the accident and was destined for Friedman Memorial (SUN), Hailey, Idaho. After executing the RNAV (GPS) Runway 31 approach to SUN, the flight was cleared to land while still in instrument conditions. There were no further communications. The pilot of a Cessna Citation 525, who flew the same…

The airplane was destroyed and the Commercial pilot aboard was fatally injured on impact with terrain while on approach to the James M. Cox Dayton International Airport. Instrument conditions prevailed; the Part 135 cargo flight originated from the McGhee Tyson Airport in Knoxville, Tenn. According to an initial review of ATC voice and radar data, the airplane was at 5000 feet, when the pilot contacted Dayton Approach at 0121. At 0135, the pilot was vectored to intercept the Runway 6L localizer, and was cleared for ILS Runway 6L approach. The airplanes last radar target was observed at an altitude of 1200 feet msl, and a groundspeed of 130 knots. The airplane impacted trees and came to rest…

At approximately 1831 Central time, the airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain approximately four miles north of Runway 18L at the Tulsa International Airport. The Private pilot/owner, who was the sole occupant, sustained minor injuries. Night visual conditions prevailed for the Part 91 business flight, which originated from the La Crosse (Wis.) Municipal Airport (LSE). The 2100-hour pilot subsequently stated that, while approximately 47 nm north of the destination, the fuel gauges indicated approximately 200 pounds of fuel each for a total of 400 pounds. Approximately six miles from the runway, the right engine started to sputter before it finally quit. The left engine quit just…

At approximately 1512 Central time, the airplane was substantially damaged during a forced landing on an Interstate highway following loss of engine power. The Private pilot and his passenger were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed; the flight originated at Austin, Texas, and made an intermediate stop near Fort Stockton, Texas. The flight then departed at approximately 1415, with the El Paso (Texas) International Airport as its final destination. While on the ground at Fort Stockton, the pilot added a quart of oil to the engine, for a total of seven quarts. Approximately 45 minutes later, the pilot noticed the #2 cylinder head temperature gauge was indicating a lower than normal tempe…

The airplane was destroyed when it impacted terrain while maneuvering near the Centennial Airport in Englewood, Colo. Night visual conditions prevailed at the time of the accident, which occurred at approximately 1940 Mountain time. The Part 135, IFR flight was en route to Salt Lake City, Utah. The Airline Transport-rated pilot and pilot-rated passenger sustained fatal injuries. According to witnesses and preliminary ATC communications, the airplane departed Runway 35R and executed a climbing left turn to a heading of 280 degrees. During the initial climb, the pilot told ATC he had a problem, was shutting down an engine and needed to return to the airport. Witnesses observed the airplane e…

At 1730 Eastern time, the aircraft was substantially damaged while landing at the Hartford Brainard Airport (HFD) in Hartford, Conn. Neither the Private pilot nor his passenger was injured. Night VMC prevailed for the local post-maintenance test flight. After completing several approaches at another airport to test a new avionics installation, the flight returned to HFD, and conducted the LDA Runway 2 approach. During the final approach, the pilot felt a thump coming from the left wing area. After parking the airplane, the pilot inspected the left wing and observed distorted spots in the wing and a broken position light. Further examination revealed substantial damage to the leading edge…

The certified Flight Instructor, pilot-rated passenger and non-rated passenger received fatal injuries and the airplane was destroyed at 1013 Eastern time after colliding with a power line, trees and the ground while on an ILS approach to Runway 5 at the Donaldson Center (S.C.) Airport. Instrument conditions prevailed and an IFR flight plan was filed for the cross-country Part 91 flight which originated from Jacksonville, Fla., at about 0800.As the airplane executed the ILS approach, an air traffic controller observed it to descend below the minimum safe altitude of 2500 feet. Attempts by the air traffic controller to reestablish radio contact with the pilot were unsuccessful. At 1021, the l…

The Bonanza was substantially damaged by impact forces and a post-impact fire while both the ATP-rated pilot and passenger were killed following a loss of engine power. Visual conditions prevailed for the planned IFR flight from the Manitowoc County (Wis.) Airport to the Lewis University Airport in Romeoville, Ill. Preliminary information indicates that at 1006, while at 4000 feet msl, the pilot declared an emergency with the Chicago Air Route Traffic Control Center, stating the cabin was filling with smoke and that they were diverting to the Sheboygan County (Wis.) Memorial Airport (SBM). Subsequently, the airplane contacted trees at the edge of an open field in Howards Grove, Wisconsin, ap…