Britten-Norman BN2A-2F accident near Blue Bell, Pennsylvania, May 25, 1990
On May 25, 1990 at about 1:23 pm local time, a Britten-Norman BN2A-2F, registered N416WA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blue Bell, Pennsylvania (Blue Bell airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE CLOSE PROXIMITY OF THE ROAD TO THE THRESHOLD OF THE RUNWAY. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE OBSTRUCTION TO THE DRIVER'S VISION CAUSED BY TREES AND BUILDINGS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1990 · about 1:23 pm local time
- Place
- Blue Bell, Pennsylvania · Blue Bell · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Britten-Norman BN2A-2F · all BN2A-2Fs on the register
- Registration
- N416WA · no longer on the register · serial 2015
- 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
THE AIRCRAFT HAD DEPARTED PHILADELPHIA ON A REGULARLY SCHEDULED FLIGHT TO WINGS FIELD, PA, AND WAS ON SHORT FINAL TO RUNWAY 06 WHEN THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR HIT THE RIGHT SIDE OF A CAR TRAVELLING EAST ON A STATE ROAD THAT RUNS SOUTH OF THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT LANDED, TRAVELLED ABOUT 3/4 OF THE WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY, BEFORE IT CAME TO REST IN THE GRASS TO THE RIGHT OF THE RUNWAY, RESTING ON THE RIGHT WING TIP.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,200 hours in all; 600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,200 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4C5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pennsylvania Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PHL Philadelphia PA
- Runway 6, 2,650 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.