Bradford Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Bradford, Pennsylvania 16701
Thursday, October 3, 2002 22:33 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot attempted an ILS approach during night, instrument meteorological conditions. The inbound course was 322 degrees magnetic, and the glideslope outer marker crossing altitude was 3,333 feet msl. The decision altitude was 2,370 feet msl and the airport elevation was 2,143 feet msl. A wreckage path, about 370 feet in length, along a track 320 degrees magnetic, commenced with a tree strike about 300 feet southeast of the outer marker, at an elevation of about 2,200 feet msl. Examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to follow the published instrument approach procedure, which resulted in an early descent into trees and terrain. A factor was the night, instrument meteorological conditions.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/3/2002
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2233
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City Bradford
Event State PENNSYLVANIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 16701
Event Date Year 2002
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 414502N
Event Location Longitude 0783404W
Event Location Airport Bradford Regional Airport
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 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 140
Airport Elevation 2208
Weather Briefing Completeness --
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 140
Weather Observation Facility ID BFD
Elevation of weather observation facility 2143
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 4
Time Zone of the weather observation --
Lighting Conditions Night
Lowest Ceiling Height 400
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height --
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions --
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 8
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) --
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30.11
Density Altitude (feet) 2544
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 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 14439
NTSB Notification Source FAA
NTSB Notification Date Oct 5 2002 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1715
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Nov 25 2003 11:36AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\MONR
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Allegheny FSDO

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N700DJ
NTSB Number IAD03FA001
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Piper
Aircraft Model Aerostar 602P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 62P09238165047
Certified Max Gross Weight --
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 2
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Apr 29 2002 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 911
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name Poke Aire Inc
Aircraft Owner Street Address --
Aircraft Owner City Wilmington
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19810
Operator is an individual? Yes
Operator Name Paul Keverline
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address --
Operator City Warren
Operator State PA
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 16365
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 EVV
Departure City Evansville
Departure State IN
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1809
Departure Time Zone CDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code BFD
Destination City Bradford
Destination State PA
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Approach - final approach fix (FAF)/outer marker to threshold (IFR)
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Oct 16 2003 10:44PM
User who most recently changed record COXP
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 32
Runway Length 6499
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --