# Accident 19910404008911A: Bell 412, Philadelphia, PA, April 4, 1991

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 4, 1991, 12:10 local time
- Place: Philadelphia, PA
- Airport: Philadelphia International
- Damage: Destroyed
- Collision: Midair collision, first aircraft
- Phase of flight: Formation Flying
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 39.9996° N, 75.2409° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=39.9996&lon=-75.2409&mi=10
- Aircraft: N78S, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N78S-1991-09-23) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Bell 412 (registry code 1182202, https://openairdocs.org/model/bell-412) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BELL 412
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Pilot flight hours: 8,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DCA91MA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA91MA031) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910404008911A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

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

## Other aircraft in the event

- N3645D, Piper PA60601: [Accident 19910404008912A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910404008912A)

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DCA91MA031](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA91MA031), Apr 4, 1991: Bell 412SP (N78S), Merion, PA, destroyed, 7 fatal. Probable cause: THE 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…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft 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. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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