Individually Owned: 151,845
Corporate Owned: 143,699
Bradford Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Bradford, Pennsylvania 16701
Saturday, January 10, 2004 14:25 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
Prior to departing his home airport, the pilot topped off the main fuel tanks. The flight departed with both fuel selectors positioned to "Main." After an approximate 2 hour flight, the pilot was approaching his home airport, and the fuel selectors remained on "Main." While descending from 6,000 feet to 4,000 feet, the engine "hiccupped," and then experienced several minor power surges, before losing total power. The pilot established a proper glide speed, and attempted a straight-in approach for the nearest runway at the home airport. During the glide, the pilot completed the emergency checklist items, which included verification that the electric fuel pump was on, and cycling the fuel selectors through all tanks. The pilot was unable to restart the engine, and continued the glide toward runway 23. The pilot maintained glide speed, but the airplane impacted small trees about 2,500 to 3,000 feet prior to the runway. Examination of the engine did not reveal any pre-impact mechanical malfunctions. Fuel was observed in all fuel tanks, and fuel was present from the selector valve, to the fuel servo, to the flow divider. When power was applied to the electric fuel pump, it operated continuously. Further examination of the engine revealed that the throttle idle adjustment bushing was missing. However, it was unknown if the bushing separated during flight, or during the forced landing. Subsequently, a flow test of the fuel servo and flow divider did not reveal any discrepancies that would have resulted in a total loss of engine power.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A total loss of engine power for undetermined reasons during approach.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/10/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1425 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Bradford |
| Event State | PENNSYLVANIA |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 16701 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 414811N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0783824W |
| 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 | 1 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 50 |
| Airport Elevation | 2143 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1353 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 230 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | BFD |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 2143 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 1 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Clear |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -15 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 310 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.25 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 3 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16600 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 11 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 900 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Oct 28 2004 10:11AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Allegheny, PA |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N1XF |
| NTSB Number | NYC04LA057 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | IFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-24-260 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 24-4479 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 3100 |
| 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 | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Aug 1 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 40 |
| Airframe Hours | 6214 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Robert Daggert |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Bradford |
| Aircraft Owner State | PA |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 06701 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | SYR |
| Departure City | Syracuse |
| Departure State | NY |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1330 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | crash at destination city |
| Destination Airport Code | BFD |
| Destination City | Bradford |
| Destination State | PA |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 13 2004 12:05PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 23 |
| Runway Length | 6499 |
| Runway Width | 150 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |