Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Hancock, Maryland 21750
Sunday, May 16, 1993 22:04 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

BEFORE TAKEOFF, THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PRIVATE PILOT RECEIVED A WEATHER BRIEFING. HE WAS ADVISED THAT THERE WAS THE POTENTIAL OF IFR WEATHER ALONG HIS ROUTE OF FLIGHT. A WITNESS, WHO HAD JUST RETURNED FROM A FLIGHT, SAID THE PILOT INSISTED THAT HE HAD TO RETURN HOME THAT EVENING. THE WITNESS STATED THAT HEAVY RAIN WAS FALLING. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT WAS IN CONTACT WITH CLEVELAND AIR ROUTE TRAFFIC CONTROL CENTER, WHEN HE WAS PROVIDED WITH A TRANSPONDER CODE, WHICH WAS NEVER RECEIVED. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED, AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED 3 DAYS LATER IN A MOUNTAINOUS AREA. DURING THE IMPACT SEQUENCE, THE ENGINE, WINGS, ELEVATOR AND LANDING GEAR SEPARATED. BOTH PORPELLER BLADES ALSO SEPARATED AND REVEALED EVIDENCE OF ROTATION. A WITNESS CLOSE TO THE SITE REPORTED HEARING A LOW FLYING AIRPLANE IN THE HEAVY RAIN.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT, HIS INITIATION OF VFR FLT INTO INSTRUMENT METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (IMC), AND HIS LOSS OF AIRCRAFT CONTROL DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE FOG, RAIN, THE PILOT'S SELF INDUCED PRESSURE, AND HIS LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/16/1993
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2204
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City HANCOCK
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21750
Event Date Year 1993
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2145 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 1
Weather Observation Facility ID HGR
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 1
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 2000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 2000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 14
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 100
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Heavy
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 954
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 17 1993 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 1:18PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N8247G
NTSB Number BFO93FA093
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28RT-201
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28RT-20
Aircraft Serial Number 28R-8018095
Certified Max Gross Weight 2750
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Feb 18 1993 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 72
Airframe Hours 1984
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name INDIANAPOLIS AVIATION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9913 WILLOWVIEW ROAD
Aircraft Owner City FISHERS
Aircraft Owner State IN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 46038
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name INDIANAPOLIS AVIATION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 9913 WILLOWVIEW ROAD
Operator City FISHERS
Operator State IN
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 46038
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code FDK
Departure City FREDERICK
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 2130
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City INDIANAPOLIS
Destination State IN
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --