Dassault/Sud FAN JET FALCON D accident near Binghamton, New York, February 15, 1989
On February 15, 1989 at about 12:22 pm local time, a Dassault/Sud FAN JET FALCON D, registered N232RA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Binghamton, New York (Edwin Link/Broome County airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT(S). FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: ICY RUNWAY CONDITIONS AND FAILURE OF THE DRAG CHUTE TO PROPERLY OPEN AFTER IT WAS DEPLOYED.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 15, 1989 · about 12:22 pm local time
- Place
- Binghamton, New York · Edwin Link/Broome County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault/Sud FAN JET FALCON D FAN JET FA
- Registration
- N232RA · no longer on the register · serial 232
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG ARRIVAL, THE CARGO FLT (RELIANT 232) CONTACTED BINGHAMTON APCH CTL & RCVD VECTORS FOR AN ILS RWY 16 APCH. AT THAT TIME, THE ATIS HAD INFORMATION (INFORMATION KILO) THAT THERE WAS LIGHT FREEZING RAIN, THAT ALL PAVED SURFACES HAD A THIN LAYER OF ICE, & THAT BRAKING ACTION WAS POOR. THE COPLT MADE THE APCH & LNDG. THE CAPT RPRTD THAT TOUCHDOWN WAS NORMAL IN THE 1ST 1000' OF THE RWY & THAT THE AIRBRAKE WAS USED, BUT THEY DID NOT KNOW THAT BRAKING ACTION WAS NIL UNTILTHEY WERE ON THE LANDING ROLL. BY THE TIME THEY REALIZED BRAKING WAS NIL, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT RWY REMAINING FOR A SAFE GO-AROUND. THE CAPT RPRTD HE DEPLOYED THE DRAG CHUTE, BUT A WITNESS WHO SAW THE CHUTE, RPRTD IT DID NOT OPEN. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT CONTD OFF THE DEP END OF THE 6298 FT RWY, WENT DOWN A STEEP EMBANKMENT & WAS EXTENSIVELY DMGD. THE REQUIRED DISTANCE TO STOP ON AN ICY RWY WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 5344 FT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,970 hours in all; 1,499 in this make and model; 229 in the last 90 days; 44 in the last 30 days; 1,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 17,595 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, June 17, 1988; 610 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 28,660 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF-700-2D (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MEM Memphis, TN at 10:35 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 6,298 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,600 ft; not recorded at 2,600 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:24 pm from BGM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.