19910404008911A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Bell 412 · Philadelphia, PA · April 4, 1991

Date: April 4, 1991 · 12:10 local
Place: Philadelphia, PA
Airport: Philadelphia International
Phase of flight: Formation Flying
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N78S
NTSB investigation: NTSBDCA91MA031
Reported as: Bell 412
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 4
Pilot’s flight hours: 8,000 total

N78SRegistration cancelled Sep 23, 1991 · Bell 412S/N 33114 Airframe modelBell 412

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

Struck bottom of N3645D while trying to confirm its gear position,both crashed. Pilots misjudged their positions.

As the FAA filed it

STRUCK BOTTOM OF N3645D WHILE TRYING TO CONFIRM ITS GEAR POSITION,BOTH CRASHED. PILOTS MISJUDGED THEIR POSITIONS.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB DCA91MA031Accident · 7 fatalClass 1 · MajorFinal reportMerion, PAThe poor judgement by the captain of the airplane to permit the in-flight inspection after he had determined to the best of his ability that the nose landing gear was fully extended, the poor judgment of the captain of the helicopter to conduct the…Apr 4, 1991 · 2 aircraft · Destroyed

Other aircraft in the event · 1

Each aircraft in a collision has its own report.

N3645DPiper PA60601Accident 19910404008912A · Destroyed · 5 fatal