Aerostar

At 0921 Central time, the airplane experienced an in-flight breakup while maneuvering in a Level 5 and 6 thunderstorm. Instrument conditions prevailed at altitude; an IFR flight plan had been filed. The airplane was destroyed, and the Private pilot and single passenger received fatal injuries. A review of radar and performance data revealed that the airplane was at 16,000 feet msl when it entered an area covered by a Severe Thunderstorm Watch and which was the subject of a Convective SIGMET for a line of thunderstorms 40 nm wide. Tops of the thunderstorms were reported at 44,000 feet, with 2-inch hail, and possible wind gusts up to 60 knots….

At 1526 Eastern time, a Smith Aerostar 601P crashed during its initial climb after takeoff from the Charleston Executive Airport, Johns Island, S.C. The commercial pilot and the airline transport pilot-rated passenger received fatal injuries, and the airplane was destroyed. Before the takeoff, the pilot reportedly requested maintenance on the airplane. A witness stated the pilot told him he wanted to fly the airplane to another airport to have the problem looked at before returning to Florida. Later, another witness watched the takeoff, noting that the aircraft appeared to rotate really late, using approximately 4000 feet of runway. He stated the airplane climbed to about 400 or 500 feet,…

About 18:00 EST, a Piper Aerostar was substantially damaged when it lost power and crashed while on approach to the Lynchburg Regional/Preston Glenn Field Airport. The pilot was seriously injured. The airplane had just received an annual inspection and the pilot was returning from ferrying a maintenance pilot home. The airplane was on approach to runway 21 when the pilot radioed to the Lynchburg Air Traffic Control Tower that one of the airplanes engines had lost power. About 4 minutes later, the pilot reported that the airplanes second engine had lost power and declared an emergency. The airplane crashed about 4 miles northeast of LYH. Approximately 1.5 gallons of fuel was drained from th…

At about 13:30 EST, a Piper Aerostar overran the runway on landing at the Statesville Airport. The airplane was substantially damaged. The pilot reported minor injuries and two passengers were uninjured. On the second localizer approach to the 5,004-foot runway 10, the airplane touched down about 500 to 1,000 feet from the approach end. The runway was wet, and the plane did not stop. As the airplane reached the departure end of the runway, the pilot veered the airplane to right to avoid radio antennas. The airplane went over a ditch, the terrain then dropped off, and the airplane struck a fence. The reported winds at the time were from 310 degrees, at 15 knots, with gusts to 31 knots….

At 14:30 PDT, a Smith Aerostar 601P suffered structural damage during an encounter with severe turbulence and an in-flight upset near Shoshone. The three occupants were not injured. During the pilots preflight weather briefing, he was advised that AIRMETS for moderate or greater turbulence were in effect for his route of flight. The aircraft was in cruise flight at 14,000 feet when it inadvertently penetrated a thunderstorm. The pilot said that at one point the aircraft was inverted and lost over 8,000 feet of altitude before he was able to regain control….

At 10:22 MDT, the pilot and passenger in an Aerostar 601P died when the aircraft crashed near Sierra Blanca Regional Airport. IMC prevailed along the intended route of flight, and the pilot departed VFR with the intent of activating a filed IFR flight plan after takeoff. Just after liftoff, a witness observed the airplane make an immediate steep turn. The airplane crashed 2.5 nm southeast of the airport….

At 11:13 CDT, a Smith Aerostar 601P crashed when it lost power on initial climb out of the Wiley Post Airport. The pilot and the pilot-rated passenger were killed. Another pilot who witnessed the crash from the runway said, the airplanes left engine was producing black smoke during the takeoff roll and the airplane started to drift to the left after takeoff. The accident pilot told the controller he had a problem, but did not elaborate. The airplane then pitched up and began a Vmc rollover to the left….

At about 12:15 EDT, a Piper PA-60-700P was damaged while landing at the Greenville Municipal Airport, but the two occupants were not injured. The Greenville Municipal Airport was serviced by two runways, runway 03/21 and runway 14/32. At the time of the accident, runway 14/32 was closed for construction and a NOTAM had been issued. The pilot made a straight in approach to the runway, which was not marked with an X and which had operating PAPI lights. He said he could not see the construction due to a crown in the runway. When he passed the crown, there was not enough time to stop the airplane. The correct runway closed markings had been placed on runway 32. The pilot said he had obtained his…

At 10:00 central time, a Smith 60-601P struck trees during initial climb from runway 28 at Fillmore County Airport. The pilot and passenger reported no injuries. The pilot reported, I initiated the takeoff on runway 28, accelerated to 100 MPH, rotated & lifted off. The gear and flaps were raised, and the aircraft stopped accelerating at about 112-115 MPH. I lowered the nose to pick up some speed, but it still wouldnt accelerate. I could see the trees approaching west of the airport and knew I didnt have climb speed, but also knew there was no choice but to pull up & hope I didnt stall. I pulled up sharply, but clipped the tops of the trees, the airspeed was still at 115 MPH IAS with 12+…

At about 10:15 eastern time, an Aerostar PA-60-601P crashed while attempting a landing at the Marco Island Executive Airport. The pilot was killed. The flight departed Venice about 30 minutes before the accident. Witnesses said the airplanes approach to runway 17 appeared unstable. The winds were from the southwest at 15 knots, gusting to about 20 knots, and the pilot appeared to have a hard time lining up with the runway centerline. The pilot climbed to about 50 feet agl, with little or no power advance, as it proceeded down the runway. At the midpoint of the runway, the aircraft entered a steep left bank and the nose dropped until the left wingtip contacted the ground. The aircraft skidde…