Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Washington County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Grindstone, Pennsylvania 15442
Thursday, July 18, 2002 18:42 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was diverting around thunderstorm activity and had reported experiencing "severe turbulence." About 4 minutes later, the airplane began a descending left turn from about 4,700 feet. The airplane was observed at 4,400 feet and then 9 seconds later the airplane disappeared from radar, at an altitude of 3,100 feet. Witnesses reported observing parts separating from the airplane, prior to impact. Examination of the wreckage, which was scattered about 1/2 mile, did not reveal any pre-impact malfunctions. Convective Sigmets and a center weather advisory for thunderstorm activity were in effect for the area and provided to the pilot by air traffic control. Cloud tops in the area of the accident site were about 26,000 feet, with cloud tops about 40,000 feet, 11 miles north of the accident site.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in overstress of aircraft. A factor was the thunderstorm activity.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 7/18/2002 |
| Event Day of the Week | Thursday |
| Time of Event | 1842 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Grindstone |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 15442 |
| Event Date Year | 2002 |
| Event Date Month | 7 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 400202N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0794822W |
| Event Location Airport | WASHINGTON COUNTY |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | AFJ |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 27 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 115 |
| Airport Elevation | 1184 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1855 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 295 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | AFJ |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 1184 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 27 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 2000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 200 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Broken |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 2 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 12 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | 17 |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.98 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 2 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 2 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 14087 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jul 18 2002 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 2000 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2003 9:55AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N18860 |
| NTSB Number | NYC02FA142 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Destroyed |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | C24R |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | MC-512 |
| 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 | 6 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Retractable |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | May 20 2001 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 60 |
| Airframe Hours | 3490 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Raytheon Employees Flying Club |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | Hartwell Rd |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bedford |
| Aircraft Owner State | MA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 01730 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | -- |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | -- |
| Operator State | -- |
| Operator Country | -- |
| Operator Zip code | -- |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | LWM |
| Departure City | LAWRENCE |
| Departure State | MA |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1450 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | AFJ |
| Destination City | WASHINGTON |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 21 2003 12:01PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | -- |
| Runway Length | -- |
| Runway Width | -- |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |