# NTSB DCA92MA016: Beech 1900C, N55000, Gabriels, NY, January 3, 1992

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Major investigation · Final report
- Date: January 3, 1992, 05:46 local (10:46 UTC)
- Place: Gabriels, NY
- Coordinates: 44.430229, -74.160369 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=44.4302&lon=-74.1604&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 2 fatal, 2 serious
- Status: Completed, report March 17, 1994
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office: Major Investigations Division
- Safety recommendations: Yes
- NTSB case key (mKey): 15954
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DCA92MA016
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/15954/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DCA92MA016

## Probable cause

FAILURE OF THE CAPTAIN TO ESTABLISH A STABILIZED APPROACH, HIS INADEQUATE CROSS-CHECK OF INSTRUMENTS, HIS DESCENT BELOW SPECIFIED MINIMUM ALTITUDE AT THE FINAL APPROACH FIX, AND FAILURE OF THE COPILOT TO MONITOR THE APPROACH.  FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: WEATHER CONDITIONS AND POSSIBLE PRECIPITATION STATIC INTERFERENCE, CAUSED BY INADEQUATE GROUNDING BETWEEN THE RADOME AND FUSELAGE THAT COULD HAVE RESULTED IN UNRELIABLE GLIDE SLOPE INDICATIONS.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight collision with terrain/water, approach - faf/outer marker to threshold (ifr)
  - light condition - dark night (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - static discharge (contributing factor)
  - comm/nav equipment,glide slope receiver - unreliable (contributing factor)
  - ifr procedure - improper, pilot in command (cause)
  - monitoring - inadequate, copilot/second pilot (cause)
  - minimum descent altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)
  - proper altitude - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)

## Analysis

ON IFR ARRIVAL, FLT 4821 WAS CLEARED TO INTERSECTION 17 NE OF AIRPORT AT 6000', THEN FOR ILS RUNWAY 23 APPROACH. RADAR SERVICE WAS TERMINATED 6.5 EAST OF INTERSECTION.  RADAR DATA SHOWED THAT FLIGHT CROSSED & THEN BRACKETED LOCALIZER. FLIGHT INTERCEPTED GLIDE SLOPE FROM BELOW ABOUT 7 MI OUTSIDE OF OUTER MARKER & THENCE DEVIATED ABOVE GLIDE SLOPE. ABOUT 2 MILES OUTSIDE OF MARKER, FLIGHT WAS AT A FULL FLY DOWN DEFLECTION WHEN IT ENTERED A DESCENT VARYING FROM 1200 TO 2000 FPM. AIRCRAFT STRUCK WOODED MOUNTAIN TOP 2.0 MI INSIDE OF OUTER MARKER (3.9 MI FROM RWY) AT ELEVATION OF 2280'. MINIMUM ALTITUDE AT MARKER WAS 3600'. GLIDE SLOPE ELEVATION AT POINT OF IMPACT WAS APRX 2900'. EVIDENCE WAS FOUND OF INADEQUATE ELECTRICAL GROUND PATH BETWEEN RADOME & FUSELAGE WHICH, WHEN COMBINED WITH EXISTING WEATHER CONDITIONS, MAY HAVE PRODUCED ELECTROSTATIC DISCHARGE (PRECIPITATION STATIC). ALTHOUGH POST-ACCIDENT TESTS WERE NOT CONCLUSIVE, THE SAFETY BOARD BELIEVES THAT THE GLIDE SLOPE INDICATIONS MIGHT HAVE BEEN UNRELIABLE DUE TO PRECIPITATION STATIC INTERFERENCE.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N55000](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N55000-1992-04-20), registration cancelled 1992-04-20, S/N UC135 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH 1900C
- Registry model: [Beech 1900C](https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-1900c) (registry code 1154161) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: UC-135
- Airframe hours: 1675
- Engines: P&W PT6A-65B 1100 horsepower turbo prop
- Damage: Destroyed
- Fire: On-Ground
- Flight: Part 135
- Operator: Commutair, doing business as Usair Express
- Registered owner: Champlain Enterprises
- Last inspection: Continuous airworthiness, December 29, 1991, 29 hours before
- Departed: PLB, PLATTSBURGH, NY
- Destination: SLK, SARANAC LAKE, NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: SLK, Adirondack, runway 23, 6,573 × 150 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 30; airline transport, flight instructor; airplane ratings: single-engine land, multi-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 1, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; toxicology performed; flight hours: 7,700 total, 3,700 in this make and model, 2,700 as pilot in command, 180 in the last 90 days, 60 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Night/dark
- Wind: calm
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 500 ft
- Temperature: 28 °F, dew point 25 °F
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: SLK, 5 nm away

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19920103000109A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19920103000109A), Jan 3, 1992: Beech 1900C, Saranac Lake, NY, Destroyed, 2 fatal. Unstable ILS approach struck trees trying to catch glideslope. Precipitation static affected glide slope. Below dh.

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.

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