- Date
- May 25, 1994, 15:30 local (20:30 UTC)
- Place
- Richmond, KY
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N65TBBradford Seahawk
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 27, 1995
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19940525012559A
- Case key
- 38763
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
was the loss of engine power for undetermined reasons, and the collision with an object during the subsequent forced landing.
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
This was the pilot's second flight in the experimental, homebuilt airplane. After takeoff, he climbed to about 800 feet over the airport. He stated on the radio that the engine had lost power. After switching fuel tanks, the engine restarted, but it quit again after a short time. The pilot initiated a forced landing to runway 18. He was unable to reach the airport and impacted a tree about 200 feet from the runway. The airplane was destroyed by post-impact fire. The pilot was able to evacuate the airplane, but was severely burned.
Factual narrative
On Wednesday, May 25, 1994, at 1530 central daylight time, a Bradford Seahawk, N65TB, a homebuilt, amphibian airplane, registered to and piloted by Thomas O. Bradford, was destroyed in Richmond, Kentucky. The pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.
The pilot was performing the second flight in this airplane. He departed the Madison Airport for a local flight. He circled the airport three times and was in radio contact with personnel on the ground. He stated over the radio that the engine had quit and he was switching fuel tanks. The engine restarted, but quit again. The pilot initiated a forced landing to runway 18, but the airplane collided with a tree about 200 feet from the approach end of the runway. After impact, a fire started and the airplane was destroyed.
The pilot was able to evacuate the airplane, but he succumbed to injuries 3 days after the accident.
Mr. David I. King, a Federal Aviation Administration Principal Maintenance Inspector, examined the wreckage. In his report, Mr. King stated:
Examination of the wreckage indicated the post crash fire consumed the entire aircraft. The fire centered around the left side of the cockpit and the...wing root area. The instruments and controls were totally destroyed. Several lumps of molten aluminum were found. They are believed to be the control stick...fuel primer and fuel selector valve. The electrical wiring and any rubber fuel links were consumed. The engine...suffered similar damage.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N65TB
- Reported as
- Bradford Seahawk
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 129
- Engine
- Lycoming O-320, 150 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Thomas O. Bradford
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Departed
- I39
- Destination
- I39 · KY
- Airport
- I39 · Madison, runway 18, 4,000 × 75 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
- 49
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 613 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 240° at 12 knots
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 61 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.