Two Ditched on Delaware River Island, Killed in Crash

ANN News-Spy Evan said that the pilot "...reported engine trouble to KPHL and was ordered to make an emergency landing at KILG (New Castle County, Wilmington) but was apparently too far south to make it."

The flight was planned from Ambler (PA) to Columbia (SC).

There was snow falling, and it was getting dark, as the Bonanza hit uninhabited Pea Patch Island, a mile from shore. A postcrash fire ensued, the orange glow plainly visible across the water at Delaware City.

Rescuers went first by helicopter to the island; they were followed by recovery and investigation crews, which came over in boats, after a tugboat served as a makeshift icebreaker.

Pea Patch Island is the site of Fort Delaware, site of a Union POW camp during the Civil War.
 
**   Report created 1/27/03   Record 13  **
IDENTIFICATION
  Regis#: 6432X        Make/Model: BE35      Description: 35 Bonanza
  Date: 01/26/2003     Time: 2237
  Event Type: Accident   Highest Injury: Fatal     Mid Air: N    Missing: N
  Damage: Destroyed
LOCATION
  City: WILMINGTON   State: DE   Country: US
DESCRIPTION
ACFT REPORTED VIBRATIONS , PHL APPROACH ATTEMPTED TO VECTOR ACFT BACK TO CLOSEST ARPT, RADAR AND RADIO LOST CONTACT, ACFT CRASHED INTO THE DELAWARE RIVER, 5 MILES SOUTH OF WILMINGTON, DE
INJURY DATA      Total Fatal:   2
                 # Crew:  2     Fat:   2     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Pass:   0     Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
                 # Grnd:         Fat:   0     Ser:   0     Min:   0     Unk:   
WEATHER: KILG 262251Z AUTO 29011KT 7SM -SN BKN049 OVC060 01/M04 A3004
OTHER DATA
  Activity: Unknown      Phase: Unknown      Operation: General Aviation
  Departed: WINGS FLD, PHIL, PA         Dep Date: 01/26/2003   Dep. Time:
  Destination: COLUMBIA, SC             Flt Plan: IFR          Wx Briefing: U
  Last Radio Cont: 119.75 S. DEPARTURE
  Last Clearance: VECTORS FOR ILG ARPT
  FAA FSDO: PHILADELPHIA, PA  (EA17)              Entry date: 01/27/2003