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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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November 11, 1985 · Cessna 441 · N59MD

Derry, PA

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
November 11, 1985
Injury Outcomes
5 injuries (5 fatalities)
Location
Derry, PA
Aircraft
Cessna 441
Tail Number
N59MD
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
CHI86MA025

DRG ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THE DESTN WX WAS: ESTD 500' OVERCAST, VIS 1 MI WITH FOG, ARPT BLO MINS. THE PLT ELECTEDTO MAKE AN NDB RWY 23 APCH, BUT SAID HE WOULD DIVERT IF A MISSED APCH WAS MADE. HE WAS PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS & WAS CLRDFOR THE APCH. AT THE IAF (INITIAL APCH FIX/TINEY INTXN), RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & THE PLT WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. ON TWR FREQ, THE PLT WAS AGAIN REMINDED THE ARPT WAS BLO MINS. APRX 2 MIN LATER, HE RPRTD OVR THE OUTER MARKER (OM) WHICH WAS 4.2 MI PAST (SW OF) THE NDB/FINAL APCH FIX (FAF) & 3.9 MI NE OF THE ARPT. SECONDS LATER, THE TWR X-MITTED INFO (JUSTRECD FM ARTCC) THAT THE ACFT WAS 2-1/2 MI EAST OF COURSE. TWR TRIED TO NOTIFY THE PLT, BUT RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. INV REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED A RIDGE NRLY 4 MI PAST THE NDB & 2 MI LEFT OF COURSE AT AN ELEV OF APRX 1900', BUT BFR PASSING THE OM. MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) BTN THE NDB & OM WAS 2220' MSL. MDA AFTER PASSING THE 0M WAS 1940'; ARPT ELEV WAS 1161'. NO PREIMPACT ACFT PROBLEMS WERE FND. THE NDB FACILITY OPERATED SAFTISFACTORILY DURING FLT & GROUND CHECKS.

Full Narrative

DRG ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS ADVISED THE DESTN WX WAS: ESTD 500' OVERCAST, VIS 1 MI WITH FOG, ARPT BLO MINS. THE PLT ELECTEDTO MAKE AN NDB RWY 23 APCH, BUT SAID HE WOULD DIVERT IF A MISSED APCH WAS MADE. HE WAS PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS & WAS CLRDFOR THE APCH. AT THE IAF (INITIAL APCH FIX/TINEY INTXN), RADAR SVC WAS TERMINATED & THE PLT WAS TOLD TO CONTACT TWR. ON TWR FREQ, THE PLT WAS AGAIN REMINDED THE ARPT WAS BLO MINS. APRX 2 MIN LATER, HE RPRTD OVR THE OUTER MARKER (OM) WHICH WAS 4.2 MI PAST (SW OF) THE NDB/FINAL APCH FIX (FAF) & 3.9 MI NE OF THE ARPT. SECONDS LATER, THE TWR X-MITTED INFO (JUSTRECD FM ARTCC) THAT THE ACFT WAS 2-1/2 MI EAST OF COURSE. TWR TRIED TO NOTIFY THE PLT, BUT RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. INV REVEALED THE ACFT IMPACTED A RIDGE NRLY 4 MI PAST THE NDB & 2 MI LEFT OF COURSE AT AN ELEV OF APRX 1900', BUT BFR PASSING THE OM. MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) BTN THE NDB & OM WAS 2220' MSL. MDA AFTER PASSING THE 0M WAS 1940'; ARPT ELEV WAS 1161'. NO PREIMPACT ACFT PROBLEMS WERE FND. THE NDB FACILITY OPERATED SAFTISFACTORILY DURING FLT & GROUND CHECKS.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time18:04 EST
Nearest AirportWestmoreland County (6nm ENE)
Runway23
Runway Length5500 ft
Runway Width100 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftCessna 441
Tail NumberN59MD
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeTurboprop
Engine DetailsAiresearch · TPE 331 · Turboprop · 635
Seats8

People & Injuries

Injury Summary5 injuries (5 fatalities)
Fatal5
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total5
Crew 1Age 40 · Second Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind20° @ 6 kt
CeilingNone
Temperature / Dew Point59 / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time23:20
Weather SourceWFAC

Appendix: Source Data