GULFSTREAM COMMANDER 695, OGAWA VILLAGE, JAPAN, MARCH 24, 2003–At approximately 10:50 a.m. local time Gulfstream Commander JA8604 crashed near Ogawa Village, Ibaragi Prefecture, Japan. The pilot and a second person on board were killed and the aircraft, which was being operated by Asia Air Survey, was destroyed. According to the Japanese investigator-in-charge, the aircraft was on a test flight in conjunction with an upcoming annual airworthiness inspection.
Reportedly, the aircraft departed Chofu Airport in Kumamoto, Japan, at 10:26 a.m. and the pilot made a position and aircraft-normal report about nine minutes after takeoff. Soon thereafter, without any further radio contact, the aircraft crashed into a forested area and was almost totally consumed by fire. The investigation is continuing, under the jurisdiction of the government of Japan.