N65TB

On Wednesday, May 25, 1994, at 1530 central daylight time, a Bradford Seahawk, N65TB, a homebuilt, amphibian airplane, registered to and piloted by Thomas O. Bradford, was destroyed in Richmond, Kentucky. The pilot was fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed. The flight was being conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The pilot was performing the second flight in this airplane. He departed the Madison Airport for a local flight. He circled the airport three times and was in radio contact with personnel on the ground. He stated over the radio that the engine had quit and he was switching fuel tanks. The engine restarted, but quit again. The pilot initiated a forced landing to runway 18, but the airplane collided with a tree about 200 feet from the approach end of the runway. After impact, a fire started and the airplane was destroyed.

The pilot was able to evacuate the airplane, but he succumbed to injuries 3 days after the accident.

Mr. David I. King, a Federal Aviation Administration Principal Maintenance Inspector, examined the wreckage. In his report, Mr. King stated:

Examination of the wreckage indicated the post crash fire consumed the entire aircraft. The fire centered around the left side of the cockpit and the...wing root area. The instruments and controls were totally destroyed. Several lumps of molten aluminum were found. They are believed to be the control stick...fuel primer and fuel selector valve. The electrical wiring and any rubber fuel links were consumed. The engine...suffered similar damage.