Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Bradford Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bradford, Pennsylvania 16738
Monday, March 31, 2003 13:12 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot first reported that the engine oil temperature had dropped below what he normally observed while en route. When he tired to exercise the left propeller control, and then later tried to feather the left engine, he was unable to change the engine rpm. He then heard a pop from the right engine, and advised air traffic control (ATC), he needed to perform a landing at Bradford. He also reported a double power loss. While being radar vectored for the ILS runway 32 approach, he told ATC he was getting some power back. He was radar vectored inside of the outer marker, and broke out mid-field and high. At the departure end of the runway, he executed a right turn and during the turn, the airplane descended into trees, and a post crash fire destroyed it. A witness reported he heard backfiring when the airplane over flew the runway. When the airplane was examined, the landing gear was found down, and the wing flaps were extended 15 degrees. Neither propeller was feathered. Both engines were test run and performed satisfactorily. The left engine fuel servo was used on the right engine due to impact damage on the right engine fuel servo. The right fuel servo was examined and found to run rich. However, no problems were found that would explain a power loss, prevent the engine from running, or explain the backfiring heard by a witness. Both propellers were examined and found to be satisfactory, with an indication of more power on the left propeller than on the right propeller. The weather observation taken at 1253 included a ceiling of 1,100 feet broken, visibility 1 mile, light snow and mist. The weather observation taken at 1310 included a ceiling of 900 feet broken, visibility 3/4 mile, and light snow and mist. According to the pilot's handbook, the airplane could maintain altitude or climb on one engine, but it required the propeller to be feathered, and the landing gear and wing flaps retracted.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's improper decision to maneuver for a landing in a configuration that exceeded the capability of the airplane to maintain altitude, after he lost power on one engine for undetermined reason(s).
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 3/31/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Monday |
| Time of Event | 1312 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Bradford |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 16738 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 3 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 444840N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0783835W |
| Event Location Airport | Bradford Regional Airport |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | BFD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.5 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 354 |
| Airport Elevation | 2143 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1253 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BFD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2143 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 1100 |
| 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) | 1 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -4 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -6 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 260 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 6 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 29.89 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | 422 |
| Intensity of Precipitation | Light |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Serious |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| 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) | 16153 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Mar 31 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1425 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 1 2004 7:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny County, West Mifflin, Pennsylvania |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N215CQ |
| NTSB Number | NYC03LA075 |
| 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 | Beech |
| Aircraft Model | B-60 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | P-458 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 7000 |
| 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 | Nov 25 2002 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 94 |
| Airframe Hours | 5217 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Speciality MIcrowave Corp |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | 120 Raynor Avenue |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ronkonkoma |
| Aircraft Owner State | NY |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 11779 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Stephen J. Fabor |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| 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) | Business |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | ISP |
| Departure City | Islip |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1109 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | GVY |
| Destination City | Gary |
| Destination State | IN |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Cruise - normal |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 17 2004 12:24PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 14 |
| Runway Length | 6499 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |