Pilatus PC-12/45 accident near Bellefonte, PA
On March 26, 2005, a Pilatus PC-12/45 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Bellefonte, PA. 6 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- March 26, 2005
- Place
- Bellefonte, PA
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC-12/45 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 6 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 40.879°N, 77.777°W
- NTSB ID
- 20050331X00387
Official records · IAD05FA047
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Excerpts, FAA Voice Transcript: Transcript (PDF), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On March 26, 2005, at 1348 eastern standard time, a Pilatus PC-12/45, N770G, was destroyed when it impacted the ground near Bellefonte, Pennsylvania. The certificated private pilot and five passengers were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site; however, instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the altitude where the accident sequence began. The airplane was operating on an instrument flight rules flight plan, and departed Naples Municipal Airport (APF), Naples, Florida, about 0953, destined for University Park Airport (UNV), State College, Pennsylvania. The personal flight was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to representatives of the two families onboard, the airplane was en route to State College so family members could watch a son's lacrosse game. The families then intended to return home to the Providence, Rhode Island area. A review of voice communications and radar data indicated that the airplane was inbound on the RWY 24 ILS instrument approach, when, at 1345, the pilot was advised by the New York Center controller that he could change from the New York Center radio frequency, to the University Park common traffic advisory frequency. After the pilot acknowledged the advisory, there were no further transmissions from him. The last radar return, at 1348, indicated the airplane was about 3,500 feet, 3 nautical miles from the runway and 2 nautical miles inside PENUE LOM, the final approach fix for the localizer instrument approach. Near the accident site, a witness saw the airplane flying ove
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain sufficient airspeed to avoid a stall during an instrument final approach to land, which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin. Factors associated with the accident are the inadvertent stall/spin, the pilot's failure to follow procedures/directives, and clouds.
More accidents in PA
- Boeing B-737-300, Sep 8, 1994
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- Beech A36, Jul 30, 1989
Browse: Pennsylvania · Pilatus 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.
