Bearhawk Patrol accident near Hanover Township, PA
On October 29, 2022, a Bearhawk Patrol (airplane) was involved in an accident near Hanover Township, PA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- October 29, 2022
- Place
- Hanover Township, PA
- Aircraft
- Bearhawk Patrol · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 41.219°N, 75.912°W
- NTSB ID
- 20221029106223
Official records · ERA23FA045
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn October 29, 2022, about 1452 eastern daylight time, an experimental amateur-built Bearhawk Patrol airplane, N964RS, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Hanover Township, Pennsylvania. The pilot and pilot-rated passenger were fatally injured. The airplane was operated by the pilot as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. Witnesses reported that the pilot and pilot-rated passenger departed Farmers Pride Airport (9N7), Lebanon County, Pennsylvania, earlier in the day. They reported that the pilot was functioning well, happy, and looking forward to participating in a holiday airport event. The pilot and his pilot-rated passenger flew to the Hazleton Regional Airport (HZL), Hazleton, Pennsylvania, then on to the Wilkes-Barre Wyoming Valley Airport (WBW), Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania. At WBW, the pilot told a friend that the airplane had a rigging issue that seemed to cause the airplane to “kick” laterally during turns. He suggested that his friend fly the airplane to see what he thought. The friend performed a 10-minute flight and reported that he noticed the odd yawing moment in the turns. The pilot responded that he would address the issue “this winter.” After lunch and fueling the airplane, the pilot and pilot-rated passenger intended to return to 9N7. Witnesses reported that the pilot sat in the front seat and fastened his seatbelt and shoulder harness while in their presence. Automatic dependent surveillance - broadcast (ADS-B) data revealed that the airplane departed runway 25 at WBW about 1448. Aft
Probable cause
The pilot’s decision to unlatch his seatbelt during flight, which allowed him to exit the airplane and impact the tail, resulting in a loss of control and impact with terrain.
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
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
