Beech C24R accident near Grindstone, PA
On July 18, 2002, a Beech C24R (airplane) was involved in an accident near Grindstone, PA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- July 18, 2002
- Place
- Grindstone, PA
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.034°N, 79.806°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020729X01238
Official records · NYC02FA142
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Summary and Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On July 18, 2002, about 1842 eastern daylight time, a Beech C24R, N18860, was destroyed during an in-flight break up and subsequent collision with terrain in Grindstone, Pennsylvania. The certificated commercial pilot and passenger were fatally injured. Instrument meteorological conditions prevailed and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan had been filed for the flight that departed the Lawrence Municipal Airport (LWM), Lawrence, Massachusetts, and was destined for the Washington County Airport (AFJ), Washington, Pennsylvania. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to information received from the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), at 1317, the pilot contacted the Bridgeport Automated Flight Service Station (AFSS), and received a weather briefing for the flight. Visual meteorological conditions were reported for the area around Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; however, conditions were expected to deteriorate with thunderstorm activity forecasted about the pilot's estimated time of arrival at AFJ. The pilot departed LWM about 1450. At 1800, air traffic control (ATC) provided the pilot with advisory information regarding convective Significant Meteorological Advisories (SIGMETs), and a Center Weather Advisory for widely scattered level three to five thunderstorms and isolated level six thunderstorms. At 1828, the airplane was descending from 7,000 to 5,000 feet on an assigned heading of 265 degrees. Pittsburgh ATC then advised the pilot of "...some level five weather at your uh twelve o’clock and five miles..." The pilot ackno
Probable cause
The pilot's inadequate in-flight planning/decision resulting in flight into adverse weather, and his failure to maintain aircraft control resulting in overstress of aircraft. A factor was the thunderstorm activity.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing B-737-300, Sep 8, 1994
- Boeing 757, Sep 11, 2001
- British Aerospace J-3101, May 21, 2000
- Bell UH-1N, May 29, 2008
- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania · Beech aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
