Preliminary Reports

At about 1050 Alaska time, the airplane sustained substantial damage during a forced landing shortly after takeoff. The two pilots and six of the passengers were not injured; one passenger sustained minor injuries. Visual conditions prevailed for the scheduled Part 135 commuter flight. The PIC subsequently stated the takeoff and initial climb were normal, but shortly after passing 1000 feet the engine “coughed,” started vibrating and lost power. An attempt to restart the engine was not successful.

The airplane was substantially damaged when it collided with terrain during a forced landing at about 1200 Central time. The solo private pilot was not injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The pilot later stated he was flying fairly low when the loss of engine power occurred and was unable to troubleshoot the problem before having to identify a suitable landing area. He landed on a gravel road and one of the airplane’s wings contacted a bush, causing the airplane to depart the roadway and descend into an adjacent ditch. The fuselage and wings were damaged during the accident sequence.

The business jet was substantially damaged at about 2234 Central time during recovery from an in-flight upset. The two pilots and four passengers were not injured. Night instrument conditions prevailed. While climbing through approximately 7000 feet msl with the autopilot engaged, the pilots stated the left-side attitude indicator became inoperative and the autopilot rolled the aircraft into an unusual attitude. The pilot disengaged the autopilot and recovered the aircraft to level flight, primarily by referencing the turn needle and directional gyro. Both wings were substantially damaged by aerodynamic forces during the recovery maneuver.

At 1334 Eastern time, the airplane was destroyed when it collided with trees and terrain following a loss of control after takeoff. The solo commercial pilot was fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. The flight followed an annual inspection and repainting. According to the mechanic, the pilot performed a ground run of the airplane for several minutes before taxiing for takeoff. The airplane lifted off about halfway down the runway and climbed at a “normal” rate. The mechanic then observed the airplane suddenly yaw to the left “for a second or two” and the airplane’s nose continued to pitch up before rolling left and descending vertically, nose-down, until it disappeared from view.

The aeromedical helicopter sustained substantial damage at about 2016 Central time upon impacting terrain during a positioning flight. The pilot, flight nurse and flight paramedic were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed for the flight. At 1959, the pilot reported he was departing from the helicopter’s base. At 2010, the pilot radioed he was 12 minutes from his destination. At 2016, the pilot notified his dispatch that he was aborting the flight due to the weather conditions encountered. No further communications were received from the helicopter. A surface weather observation recorded about 10 miles north of the accident site at 2015 included seven miles’ visibility, light snow and an overcast ceiling at 3300 feet agl.

At approximately 1950 Eastern time, the airplane was substantially damaged when it impacted trees and terrain after a loss of control during climb. The non-instrument-rated private pilot was fatally injured. Instrument conditions prevailed. At 1939, ATC cleared the pilot to take off from a nearby towered airport. Subsequently, he contacted a different ATC facility to request VFR flight-following services and was advised to squawk a beacon code of “5576” but, at 1950, before the airplane was radar identified, the pilot radioed, “I’m in trouble.”

The airplane was substantially damaged at about 1102 Central time when it impacted terrain. The commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Visual conditions prevailed. According to reports, the accident flight was the airplane’s second flight of the day, intended to give the passenger a ride. A witness reported observing a smoke plume from the ground, but did not see the crash. The witness said that he saw and heard the airplane before the crash, and did not think the airplane was doing aerobatics.

At about 1805 Central time, the airplane impacted terrain following an in-flight break-up. The commercial pilot and single passenger were fatally injured; the airplane was substantially damaged. Instrument conditions prevailed. According to communications and radar data, ATC cleared the airplane to FL210 and gave the pilot permission to deviate east of the planned route for weather and traffic avoidance. Shortly thereafter, the airplane appeared to turn to the north and the pilot did not respond to the controller’s radio transmission about the turn. The airplane’s outer wing sections, engines, elevators, and vertical and horizontal stabilizers were separated from the fuselage and located in several directions from the main wreckage, at distances up to one-half mile.

The airplane was substantially damaged during an in-flight breakup at about 1000 Pacific time. The private pilot and passenger sustained fatal injuries. Visual conditions prevailed in the area around the accident site; the aircraft was being operated on an IFR flight plan. Preliminary radar data depict the airplane in cruise flight at FL240 and a course of 335 degrees magnetic. At 0937, the airplane’s heading turned to about 320 degrees and oscillated around that value until the last several radar returns indicated the airplane in a descending turn to the right.

The airplane was lost from radio and radar contact at about 1825 Mountain time during an on-demand cargo flight operated under FAR Part 135. Instrument conditions prevailed and an IFR clearance had been received. The solo commercial pilot received fatal injuries.The flight was cleared to be at 10,000 feet msl 40 miles from PHX, its destination. Shortly after the airplane reached the assigned altitude, the pilot requested but was denied a lower altitude due to ATC minimum vectoring altitude limitations. Radio and radar contact was lost soon thereafter.