Beech C24R accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, March 7, 1996
On March 7, 1996 at about 11:36 pm local time, a Beech C24R, registered N6625P, was destroyed in an accident near Philadelphia, Pennsylvania (Northeast Philadelphia airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper planning/decision, and his resultant flight into known icing conditions, which resulted in ice accumulation, loss of engine power, a forced landing, and subsequent collision with a residence and a vehicle. A factor relating to the accident was: the adverse weather (icing) condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1996 · about 11:36 pm local time
- Place
- Philadelphia, Pennsylvania · Northeast Philadelphia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech C24R · all C24Rs on the register
- Registration
- N6625P · no longer on the register · serial MC678
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot received a preflight weather briefing and was advised of precautions for occasional moderated mixed and rime icing, as well as isolated severe mixed and clear icing, along the route of flight. En route, he encountered icing conditions and ice accretion on the aircraft. Manifold pressure began decreasing, and the pilot was unable to maintain altitude. Subsequently, he made a forced landing in a residential area, and the airplane struck a house and a car. The pilot stated, 'At 5000 feet, I expected to be above the freezing level, due to a temperature inversion, this was the case until I reached the Philadelphia area, I then encountered light mixed icing on the leading edges...Subsequently my manifold pressure dropped to 21 inches, and I began to lose altitude...Although I expected to receive an increase in manifold pressure on my descent, none occurred. At about 2000 feet, I felt that I could not make (a nearby airport) and declared a mayday. I was maintaining 95 knots.' Postaccident examination of the airplane included an functional check of the engine in a test cell. The engine operated rich below 1800 RPM, and takeoff power was achieved. No mechanical discrepancies were noted with the airplane.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,813 hours in all; 1,782 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 2,523 as pilot in command; 104 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,987 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1995; 145 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Frederick MD at 10:00 pm
- Destination: TEB Teterboro NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 290° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:50 pm from PNE, 5 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.