Tue, Jan 28, 2003
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
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