Beech E55 accident near Scandia, Pennsylvania, April 6, 1982
On April 6, 1982 at about 2:23 pm local time, a Beech E55, registered N4375A, was destroyed in an accident near Scandia, Pennsylvania. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1982 · about 2:23 pm local time
- Place
- Scandia, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech E55 · all E55s on the register
- Registration
- N4375A · no longer on the register · serial TE-803
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0834 EST, THE PILOT DEPARTED BRADFORD AIRPORT ON AN IFR FLIGHT TO ALTON, IL. ABOUT 4 MINUTES LATER, HE ADVISED THAT HE WAS HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH HIS FLIGHT INSTRUMENTS WHILE IN IFR CONDITIONS. HE ATTEMPTED TO RETURN TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT BY USING D.F. STEERS, BUT WAS UNABLE. HE THEN CONTACTED CLEVELAND CENTER AND WAS CLEARED TO CLIMB TO 8000 FT MSL. THE CENTER RECOMMENDED THAT THE PILOT PROCEED TO TORONTO, CANADA TO THE NEAREST AIRPORT WITH ACCEPTABLE WEATHER. HOWEVER, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO CONTROL HIS ALTITUDE AND HEADING, AND SUBSEQUENTLY, ENTERED A DIVE AND CRASHED. THE HSI (ATTITUDE INDICATOR), DIRECTIONAL GYRO AND TURN COORDINATOR WERE FOUND TO BE PNEUMATIC PRESSURE INSTRUMENTS, ALL OPERATING FROM THE SAME SYSTEM. THE PNEUMATIC PRESSURE SYSTEM INCORPORATED TWO PRESSUE PUMPS, ONE ON EACH ENGINE. AN INSPECTION OF THE PUMPS REVEALED THAT BOTH PUMP DRIVES WERE SHEARED. RAIDO CALLS FROM THE PILOT HAD IDENTIFIED THAT ALL PRESSURE INSTRUMENT READINGS WERE FAULTY. WEATHER: TURBC, LOW CIG, SNOW.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,273 hours in all; 353 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 1,139 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,689 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Control Chief CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: Bradford PA at 8:43 am
- Destination: Alton IL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 005° at 15 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.