Merion air disaster
The Merion air disaster occurred in southeastern Pennsylvania on April 4, 1991, when a Piper Aerostar propeller-driven aircraft collided in mid-air with a Bell 412 helicopter over Merion Elementary School in Lower Merion Township, a suburb northwest of Philadelphia. All five people in both aircraft were killed, including United States Senator John Heinz, the sole passenger of the Piper. Two schoolchildren on the ground were killed by falling debris. In addition to the seven total fatalities, five more people on the ground were injured.
| Date | April 4, 1991 |
|---|---|
| Summary | Mid-air collision due to pilot error on both aircraft |
| Site | Lower Merion Township, Pennsylvania 40.0017°N 75.2568°W |
| Total fatalities | 7 |
| Total injuries | 5 |
| Total survivors | 0 |
| First aircraft | |
| Similar to the Aerostar involved | |
| Type | Piper Aerostar |
| Registration | N3645D |
| Flight origin | Williamsport Regional Airport |
| Destination | Philadelphia International Airport |
| Passengers | 1 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 3 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Second aircraft | |
| A Bell 412EP type involved in accident | |
| Type | Bell 412 |
| Registration | N78S |
| Passengers | 0 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 2 |
| Survivors | 0 |
| Ground casualties | |
| Ground fatalities | 2 |
| Ground injuries | 5 |
An investigation determined the cause of the accident to be poor judgment and pilot error of the crews from both aircraft.
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