Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Blue Bell, Pennsylvania 19422
Thursday, October 20, 1988 16:34 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AFTER FLYING IFR FROM ROCHESTER, NEW YORK TO THE PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA AREA, THE PILOT CANCELLED IFR AND FLEW A VFR LEFT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RUNWAY 24 AT BLUE BELL AIRPORT. WITNESSES SAID THAT THE AIRPLANE APPEARED LOW AND CLOSE TO THE AIRPORT FOR A DOWNWIND. DURING THE BASE LEG TURN TO THE LEFT THE ANGLE OF BANK INCREASED TO ABOUT SIXTY DEGREES. THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED BELOW THE TREE LINE.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER VFR PROCEDURES, THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTIAN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED FOR THE ATTITUDE OF FLIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE CAUSING IT TO STALL AND COLLIDE WITH TREES AND A POWERLINE DURING RECOVERY.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/20/1988
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1634
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City BLUE BELL
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 19422
Event Date Year 1988
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 0
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 4
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 4
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2307
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 20 1988 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1725
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40329
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:14PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1RJ
NTSB Number NYC89FA015
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model A24R
Aircraft Series Identifier A24R
Aircraft Serial Number MC-99
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 1988 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 167
Airframe Hours 1592
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FLYING MUSKETEERS OF ROCHESTER
Aircraft Owner Street Address 109 CLEARVIEW DRIVE
Aircraft Owner City PITTSFORD
Aircraft Owner State NY
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 14534
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FLYING MUSKETEERS OF ROCHESTER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 109 CLEARVIEW DRIVE
Operator City PITTSFORD,
Operator State NY
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 14534
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ROC
Departure City ROCHESTER
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1443
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code N67
Destination City BLUE BELL
Destination State PA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --