Bradford Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mount Alton, Pennsylvania 17601
Friday, November 26, 1982 19:23 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WHILE ENROUTE THE PLT REPORTED HE WAS ICING UP & WOULD HAVE TO DIVERT TO BRADFORD. ABOUT 12 MI FROM THE ARPT THE PLT DECLARED AN EMERGENCY STATING HE DIDN'T THINK HE COULD MAKE A MISSED APPROACH WITH THE ICE BUILDUP. THE PLT THEN REPORTED A ROUGH ENGINE & AN AIRSPEED OF ABOUT 70K WITH FULL THROTTLE. JUST PRIOR TO THE CRASH THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD SO MUCH ICE ON HIS WINDSHIELD THAT HE COULDN'T SEE. THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 1 MI SHORT OF RWY 32. COATING THE LEADING EDGE OF THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER WAS AN ICE BUILDUP WHICH TAPERED IN THICKNESS FROM 1/4 INCH AT THE ROOT TO ABOUT 1-1/2 INCHES AT THE TIP. PIECES OF 3/4 TO ONE INCH THICK ICE WERE FOUND IN THE GROUND SCAR FOUND UNDER THE RIGHT WING. ICING CONDITIONS WERE FORECASTED ALONG THE ROUTE OF FLT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 11/26/1982
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1923
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MOUNT ALTON
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 17601
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 11
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport BRADFORD REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID BFD
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 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 28
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BFD
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 500
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 3
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 29
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 260
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Light
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 1
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 3046
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9511H
NTSB Number NYC83FA032
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier 172H
Aircraft Serial Number 17266189
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 49
Airframe Hours 1865
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WILLIAM B. PLOTTS
Aircraft Owner Street Address FOX HILL ROAD, BOX 14
Aircraft Owner City MARLOW
Aircraft Owner State NH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 03456
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name WILLIAM B. PLOTTS
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address FOX HILL ROAD, BOX 14
Operator City MARLOW
Operator State NH
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 03456
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 ELM
Departure City ELMIRA
Departure State NY
Departure Country
Departure Time 1749
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code YNG
Destination City YOUNGSTOWN
Destination State OH
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 6500
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --