Preliminary Reports

At about 1605 Pacific time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain. The commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. Witnesses reported the airplane was circling and maneuvering at a low altitude around the beach area when they observed it ascend abruptly.

The airplane veered off the runway at about 1615 Pacific time, while landing, sustaining substantial damage from a post-crash fire. The private pilot receiving instruction and the flight instructor were not injured. Visual conditions prevailed.

The airplane collided with terrain at about 1606 Pacific time, sustaining substantial damage. The private pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed. While in cruise at 16,500 feet msl, the pilot requested and received an IFR clearance to Fresno from ATC, with a further clearance to 14,000 feet. A subsequent clearance was issued was issued to 7000 feet.

At about 1529 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed following a collision with trees and terrain shortly after takeoff. The commercial pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. A witness watched the airplane take off, reporting the takeoff roll seemed longer than normal, and the airplane climbed slowly. As the airplane approached trees located past the runway, it “pancaked” into the trees without rolling right or left. He then saw a plume of smoke and realized the airplane had crashed.

At 1419 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it impacted a house during a forced landing. The private pilot and two passengers were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. While in cruise, the pilot reported vibrations in the propeller and engine. Daytona Approach advised that airports in the area were IFR with cloud ceilings of 900 to 1000 feet agl.

The experimental, amateur-built airplane was substantially damaged when it broke up in flight at about 1318 Eastern time. The airline transport pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to FAA radar data, the airplane was in cruise flight for approximately 19 minutes before contact was lost. About one minute before going off radar, the airplane was cruising at 8300 feet msl. Then, the airplane was observed descending to 7200 feet before radar contact was lost. The airplane impacted a sugarcane field, with its fuselage coming to rest inverted on a heading of 315 degrees.

At about 1030 Eastern time, the experimental, amateur-built airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted terrain during a forced landing following a partial loss of engine power. The commercial pilot in the front seat and the airline transport pilot in the rear were seriously injured. Visual conditions prevailed. About five minutes after departing and while cruising at about 3000 feet msl, the airplane’s engine lost power, but continued to run with very low output. The front-seat pilot attempted remedial actions, to no avail. The rear-seat pilot then took control of the airplane and turned towards a nearby airport. Shortly before reaching the divert runway, the rear-seat pilot heard a loud “bang”:

The airplane bounced twice during landing. The pilot then added full throttle for a go-around and the airplane began to drift to the left side of the runway centerline. As the airplane began to climb, the pilot retracted gear and flaps. The airplane’s nose then pitched up and the right wingtip struck the runway surface. The airplane veered sharply to the right and impacted terrain on the right side of the runway. The impact resulted in the collapse of the landing gear and substantial damage to the engine mount, firewall, fuselage and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot reported there was no mechanical malfunction or failure and that he just failed to maintain control of the airplane.

At about 1819 Eastern time, the airplane collided with terrain while executing an RNAV (GPS) approach. The instrument-rated private pilot and three passengers were fatally injured. Instrument conditions existed; an IFR flight plan was in effect. Prior to the arrival of the accident airplane, a friend of the pilot flew the same flight in a similarly-equipped airplane. The friend never broke out of the clouds, performed a missed approach and diverted to an alternate airport.

The airplane sustained minor damage and a student pilot received a serious ground injury when his left arm came into contact with the propeller following engine start at about 1315 Eastern time. The CFI was not injured; visual meteorological conditions prevailed. After practicing touch-and-go landings, the CFI and student performed a full-stop landing, taxied to the ramp and shut down the airplane. About 15 minutes later, both pilots returned to the airplane for another flight; however, the airplane’s battery was depleted and the engine would not start.