Wilkes Barre - Allentown

On October 24, 1971 at 11:07 PM, Wilkes Barre - Allentown experienced a crash involving Beechcraft 99 Airliner, operated by Monmouth Airlines, with the event recorded near Allentown-Lehigh Valley (Bethlehem-Easton) Pennsylvania.

The flight was categorized as scheduled revenue flight and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a mountains crash site.

8 people were known to be on board, 4 fatalities were recorded, 4 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 50.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 2, passengers on board: 6, passenger fatalities: 2, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is human factor. Monmouth Airlines Flight 98 departed Wilkes-Barre at 2253LT for a short IFR flight to Allentown. Allentown Approach Control cleared the flight for a VOR approach and instructed the pilot to report when it was 12 miles North of the Allentown VOR. At 2307LT, upon receiving the flight's position estimate, Allentown Approach Control cleared Monmouth 98 for a VOR approach to a landing on runway 06. Monmouth 98 was requested to report when inbound over the Allentown VOR. The airplane then collided with the ridge of Blue Mountain at an elevation of 1540 ft (470 m). The wreckage was found 11,3 miles north of Allentown-Bethlehem Easton Airport. Both pilots and two passengers were killed while four other passengers were injured. The aircraft was destroyed.

Aircraft reference details include registration N986MA, MSN U-044, year of manufacture 1968.