19961216039439A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 425 · Islip, NY · December 16, 1996

Date: December 16, 1996 · 18:40 local
Place: Islip, NY
Airport: Long Island Mac Arthur
Phase of flight: Final Approach
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N425EW
NTSB investigation: NTSBNYC97FA030
Reported as: Cessna 425
Reported engine: Pratt & Whitney PT6A112
People aboard: 3
Fatal injuries: 3
Pilot’s flight hours: 10,846 total

N425EWRegistration cancelled Oct 3, 2005 · Cessna 425S/N 425-0150 · Built 1981 Airframe modelCessna 425 Engine modelPratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-60ATurbo-prop

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.

Cleared for approach, lost radar contact on final, search and rescue called. Found in state park. (.4) the pilot had received clearance for the ILS runway 6 approach and was advised that the previous landing traffic reported '...breaking out at minimums.' Radar data revealed that the airplane descended in instrument meteorological conditions to the decision height altitude of 294 feet, approximately 3 miles from the missed approach point. The pilot did not perform the missed approach procedure. The airplane leveled off and continued at or below decision height altitude for approximately 28 seconds, traveling a distance of approximately 1 mile. Four low altitude alerts appeared on the tower controller's display. The controller stated he withheld the alert because '...it was a critical phase of flight and the aircraft appeared to be climbing...' The airplane collided with trees and terrain approximately 1.5 miles from the approach end of the landing runway.

As the FAA filed it

CLEARED FOR APPROACH, LOST RADAR CONTACT ON FINAL, SEARCH AND RESCUE CALLED. FOUND IN STATE PARK. (.4) THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED CLEARANCE FOR THE ILS RUNWAY 6 APPROACH AND WAS ADVISED THAT THE PREVIOUS LANDING TRAFFIC REPORTED '...BREAKING OUT AT MINIMUMS.' RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED IN INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS TO THE DECISION HEIGHT ALTITUDE OF 294 FEET, APPROXIMATELY 3 MILES FROM THE MISSED APPROACH POINT. THE PILOT DID NOT PERFORM THE MISSED APPROACH PROCEDURE. THE AIRPLANE LEVELED OFF AND CONTINUED AT OR BELOW DECISION HEIGHT ALTITUDE FOR APPROXIMATELY 28 SECONDS, TRAVELING A DISTANCE OF APPROXIMATELY 1 MILE. FOUR LOW ALTITUDE ALERTS APPEARED ON THE TOWER CONTROLLER'S DISPLAY. THE CONTROLLER STATED HE WITHHELD THE ALERT BECAUSE '...IT WAS A CRITICAL PHASE OF FLIGHT AND THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO BE CLIMBING...' THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TREES AND TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1.5 MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE LANDING RUNWAY.

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 NYC97FA030Accident · 3 fatalField investigationFinal reportBohemia, NYthe pilot's early descent to decision height and his failure to perform the missed approach procedure. A factor was the failure of air traffic control to issue a safety advisory.Dec 16, 1996 · Destroyed