Cessna T303 accident near Binghamton, New York, April 6, 1984
On April 6, 1984 at about 2:58 am local time, a Cessna T303, registered N511SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Binghamton, New York (Edwin A. Link Field). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1984 · about 2:58 am local time
- Place
- Binghamton, New York · Edwin A. Link Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T303 · all T303s on the register
- Registration
- N511SC · registry record · serial T303-00192
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PRIOR TO THE APPROACH, THE PLT WAS ADVISED OF A THUNDERSTORM SSE OF THE ARPT. THE PLT STATED THAT THE WEATHER WAS DETERIORATING RAPIDLY WITH TURBULENCE, HEAVY RAIN, NEAR-BLINDING LIGHTING & WINDSHEAR. DURING THE APPROACH, DUE TO THE ADVERSE WX CONDITIONS & ERRATIC INSTRUMENT INDICATIONS, MAINTAINING MDA WAS DIFFICULT. THE ACFT DESCENDED BELOW THE MDA & STRUCK TREES. A MISSED APPROACH WAS EXECUTED & THE ACFT SUBSEQUENTLY LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,204 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 703 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 671 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 23, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-AE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LNS Lancaster PA at 2:06 am
- Destination: BGM Binghamton NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,298 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:50 am from BGM, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC84LA133.