- Date
- November 7, 1990, 20:40 local (Nov 8, 1990, 01:40 UTC)
- Place
- Bradford, PA
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N422MBeech A36
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report July 2, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19901107049119A
- Case key
- 36771
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance while maneuvering to land during an instrument approach. Factors related to the accident were: the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing prior to departure, his delayed decision to make an emergecy landing after encountering icing conditions en route, ice accumulation on the airplane, and the dark night.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
At 1948 the pilot had requested a lower altitude, at 1958 reported having difficulty maintaining altitude, and at 2003 advised he needed to land as soon as possible. While being subsequently vectored he reported he was still picking up some ice but able to maintain airspeed. He was cleared for an ILS rwy 32 approach intp Bradford regional. At 2037 the pilot reported '...I have the airport.' Radar contact was lost at the VOR (lom). The wreckage path was on an easterly heading. Tree damage indicated the airplane was in about a 30 deg left wing low attitude. The landing gear was down.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N422M
- Reported as
- Beech A36
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- E-542
- Engine
- Continental IO-520-BA, 285 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business · Part 91
- Operator
- John Franklin Mallory
- Departed
- OWD · Norwood, MA
- Destination
- TOL · Toledo, OH
- Flight plan
- VFR/IFR
- Airport
- BFD · Bradford Regional, runway 32, 6,499 × 150 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 42
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 813 total · 590 in this make and model · 119 in the last 90 days · 24 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 32 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BFD, 30 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.