Baltimore - Islip

On November 8, 1986 at 12:00 PM, Baltimore - Islip experienced a crash involving Beechcraft 80 Queen Air, operated by Executive Fliteways, with the event recorded near Baltimore Maryland.

The flight was categorized as charter/taxi (non scheduled revenue flight) and the reported phase was landing (descent or approach) at a airport (less than 10 km from airport) crash site.

4 people were known to be on board, 1 fatalities were recorded, 3 survivors were identified or estimated. This corresponds to an estimated fatality rate of 25.0%.

Crew on board: 2, crew fatalities: 1, passengers on board: 2, passenger fatalities: 0, other fatalities: 0.

The listed crash cause is technical failure. During climb after takeoff, left engine seized. Pilot said he attempted left engine restart; propeller would not rotate or feather. No emergency declared. Pilot stated engine shutdown procedure was used, scientific bus switches were shut off, right generator was recycled and appeared to operate normally. Pilots got immediate vector to return to Martin Airport, but radar contact was lost for about 5 minutes. Electrical problems were encountered and pilots had problems maintaining headings, thus were delayed in diverting to alternate. With left prop unfeathered, they could not maintain altitude. Due to bad weather at Martin, they diverted to Baltimore. Radar and radio contacts were lost and they could not reach Baltimore. During forced landing, aircraft hit tree and crashed short of intended landing area. Teardown of left engine revealed #4 and #5 connecting rods had failed at crankshaft; they were discolored from heat and scored; other rod bearings had indications of oil starvation. Metallic debris from failed engine found in oil system. Several oil feed holes to rod bearings were obstructed with metallic debris. Fire damaged most of the electrical system. Aircraft (modified for environmental testing) not flight tested for drag inducing modifications; written flight crew instructions not avail for modifications. A pilot was killed and three other occupants were injured.

Aircraft reference details include registration N304D, MSN LD-226, year of manufacture 1965.

Geospatial coordinates for this crash are approximately 39.2909°, -76.6108°.