ASN Wikibase Occurrence # 36195
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| Date: | Sunday 17 August 1986 |
| Time: | 18:52 |
| Type: |  Piper PA-30-320 Twin Comanche B |
| Owner/operator: | Arthur Benjamin t/a ADB Engineers Inc |
| Registration: | N31AB |
| MSN: | 30-743 |
| Year of manufacture: | 1965 |
| Engine model: | LYCOMING IO-320-B1A |
| Fatalities: | Fatalities: 3 / Occupants: 3 |
| Aircraft damage: | Destroyed |
| Category: | Accident |
| Location: | Bowleys Quarters, Baltimore County, Maryland -
 United States of America
|
| Phase: | Approach |
| Nature: | Private |
| Departure airport: | Asheville Regional Airport, Asheville, North Carloina (AVL/KAVL) |
| Glenn L. Martin State Airport, Baltimore, Maryland (MTN/KMTN) | |
| Confidence Rating: |  Information is only available from news, social media or unofficial sources |
DURING ARRIVAL, TRACON GAVE THE PILOT THE AIRPORT WEATHER & PROVIDED VECTORS FOR AN ILS RUNWAY 32 APPROACH. THE PILOT INQUIRED ABOUT A CELL THAT HE UNDERSTOOD WAS OVER THE AIRPORT & WAS ADVISED TO STANDBY WHILE THE CONTROLLER CHECKED ON IT. THE CONTROLLER CONTACTED TOWER PERSONNEL WHO ADVISED THAT THE VISIBILITY WAS 1 MILE IN HEAVY RAIN, BUT THE PILOT WAS GIVEN A FREQUENCY CHANGE BEFORE THE INFO WAS PASSED ON TO HIM.
HOWEVER, THE FINAL CONTROLLER ADVISED HIM OF THE CELL WHICH WAS OVER THE NDB. THE NDB WAS 1.6 MILES FROM RUNWAY 32, ALONG THE ILS COURSE. THE PILOT ELECTED TO CONT THE APPROACH & WAS CLEARED TO TOWER FREQUENCY. AS THE AIRCRAFT APPROACHED THE NDB, RADAR SHOWED IT WAS OFF COURSE. THE TOWER CONTROLLER TRIED TO GIVE THE PILOT CLIMB-OUT INSTRUCTIONS, BUT THE PILOT DECLINED THEM & SAID HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE CONTROLLING THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT'S LAST TRANSMISSION WAS TO ACKNOWLEDGE HE WOULD TURN 180 DEGREES TO ABANDON THE APPROACH.
WITNESSES SAW THE AIRCRAFT COME OUT OF CLOUDS IN A STEEP DIVE & CRASH ABOUT 1 MILE FROM THE AIRPORT IN 10 TO 15 FEET OF WATER BEFORE RECOVERING. NO PRE-IMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FOUND. A WEATHER STUDY SHOWED CLOUD BASES AT 700 FEET & WEATHER ECHOS OF AT LEAST MOD INTENSITY (VIP LEVEL 2).
Probable Cause and Findings: The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident to be:
FLIGHT INTO KNOWN ADVERSE WEATHER..CONTINUED..PILOT IN COMMAND
Contributing Factors:
WEATHER CONDITIONS...LOW CEILING...RAIN...TURBULENCE IN CLOUDS
Aircraft de-registered March 16, 1991 upon C of A expiry. However registration N31AB not cancelled until June 11, 2013 - 27 years later.
Sources:
1. NTSB Identification: BFO86FA042 at https://app.ntsb.gov/pdfgenerator/ReportGeneratorFile.ashx?EventID=20001213X34405&AKey=1&RType=Final&IType=FA
2. FAA: http://registry.faa.gov/aircraftinquiry/NNum_Results.aspx?NNumbertxt=31AB
3. http://planecrashmap.com/plane/md/N31AB/
4. http://www.airport-data.com/aircraft/N31AB.html
5. https://flightaware.com/resources/registration/N31AB
6. http://www.aviationdb.com/Aviation/Aircraft/3/N31AB.shtm
Revision history:
| Date/time | Contributor | Updates |
|---|---|---|
| 24-Oct-2008 10:30 | ASN archive | Added |
| 21-Dec-2016 19:22 | ASN Update Bot | Updated [Time, Damage, Category, Investigating agency] |
| 04-Apr-2017 16:21 | Dr.John Smith | Updated [Time, Aircraft type, Operator, Location, Phase, Departure airport, Destination airport, Source, Narrative] |
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