Philadelphia - Wilkes Barre

On November 25, 1983 at 08:08 AM, Philadelphia - Wilkes Barre experienced a crash involving Beechcraft H18, operated by Aero Taxi - USA, with the event recorded near Allentown-Queen City Pennsylvania.

The flight was categorized as cargo and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

1 people were known to be on board, 2 fatalities were recorded, 0 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 200.0%.

Crew on board: 1, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 0, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 1.

The listed crash cause is weather. While en route, the pilot encountered icing conditions, then reported he was unable to maintain altitude and was having engine problems. He diverted toward Allentown, PA, then advised he had lost power in the left engine. Approach control began issuing vectors for a VOR approach; however, the pilot advised he was unable to open his approach plates and requested a surveillance radar approach. Radar vectors and advisories were provided until the pilot reported he had the airport in sight. Several witnesses observed that the left prop was feathered as the aircraft approached the airport. The pilot maneuvered the aircraft to a left downwind for runway 24 at about 400 feet agl with the landing gear extended. Witnesses reported the aircraft's nose pitch up, then down, then the aircraft rolled to the left and crashed. In a trailer court it hit a mobile home and a propane tank and burned. A person in the mobile home was fatally injured. An exam of the wreckage revealed the left prop blades were at the low pitch stops. No preimpact failures were found.

Aircraft reference details include registration N105PE, MSN BA-672, year of manufacture 1964.