Centre Airlines

Beechcraft E18

The instrument rated pilot was en route to pick up cargo. He received three preflight weather briefings earlier that indicated snow, mountain obscuration, and low visibility. He reported, 'seeing the lights of university,' and requested a contact approach. He also said that if he could not get in, he would make an ils approach. When the airplane was 4 miles south of the airport, the New York air traffic controller cleared the pilot for a contact approach to runway 24. A witness reported hearing a low flying airplane. He stated that it was snowing heavily and he saw the tail light of an airplane briefly through the snow. He also reported that a snow squall was in the area at the time. Shortly afterward, he heard what was later determined to be the sound of the collision. Search personnel located the wreckage 3.3 miles south of the airport on top of mount nittany which was about 2000 feet high. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.

Beechcraft E18

Shortly after departing from runway 15L at the Baltimore-Washington Intl Airport, the pilot transmitted that he had an emergency consisting of a fire under his side panel. He reported he was going to circle and land. According to witnesses, flames and smoke were in the cockpit area. The aircraft started a gradual descent during a left turn. Subsequently, it crashed into a house. An examination of the wreckage did not reveal the origin of the fire; however, a CB radio was found with evidence that it may have been wired to the aircraft electrical system. The owners stated that the CB was not installed in the aircraft prior to the pilot's use of the plane on that flight. The pilot, sole on board, was killed.