Beech V35B accident near Bradford, Pennsylvania, June 23, 1986
On June 23, 1986 at about 4:15 am local time, a Beech V35B, registered N4445D, was destroyed in an accident near Bradford, Pennsylvania (Bradford airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F). 1 person was 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
- June 23, 1986 · about 4:15 am local time
- Place
- Bradford, Pennsylvania · Bradford
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N4445D · registry record · serial D-10297
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91, subpart F)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE, INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT FLYING A BEECHCRAFT V35 COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND, IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE 1.5 MILES FROM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY WHILE ON AN ILS APPROACH DURING IFR CONDITIONS. HEAVY RAINSHOWERS FOG AND LIGHTNING WERE OBSERVED IN THE AREA OF THE AIRPORT DURING THE TIME OF THIS APPROACH.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 391 hours in all; 386 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 286 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1986; 1,314 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental 10520-BB (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: N80 Ocean City MD
- Destination: BFD Bradford PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 6,499 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 220° at 15 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:25 am from BFD, 2 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.
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.