Martin State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Baltimore, Maryland 21220
Thursday, January 30, 1992 11:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMBOUT FROM RUNWAY 14 ON MARTIN STATE AIRPORT, BALTIMORE, MARYLAND, AT APPROXIMATELY 300 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, THE AIRPLANE'S ENGINE EXPERIENCED TOTAL POWER LOSS AND A FIRE. THE PILOT SAID HE DECLARED AN EMERGENCY AND MADE AN APPROXIMATE 280 DEGREE TURN BACK TO THE AIRPORT. THE GEAR WAS EXTENDED, BUT DUE TO THE FIRE, THE NOSE GEAR WAS DISABLE AND DID NOT EXTEND. AN EMERGENCY LANDING WAS MADE ON RUNWAY 32. POST ACCIDENT INVESTIGATIONS REVEALED A FUEL LEAK IN THE ENGINE'S VAPOR RETURN LINE. DUE TO THE SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE INCURRED BY THE FUEL LINE, A FAILURE MODE COULD NOT BE DETERMINED.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE FAILURE OF THE FUEL LINE, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, RESULTING IN A FUEL LEAK CAUSING AN ENGINE FIRE AND TOTAL POWER LOSS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 1/30/1992
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 1110
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City BALTIMORE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21220
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 1
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MARTIN STATE
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Full
Investigator's weather source Witness
Time of the weather observation 0
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 2
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 1
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 2
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 61
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 46888
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:41PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9103Q
NTSB Number BFO92LA028
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed IFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-46
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-46
Aircraft Serial Number 273712R
Certified Max Gross Weight 4100
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 6
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jan 15 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 3
Airframe Hours 864
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name ALLEN SMITH
Aircraft Owner Street Address 716 STALEY COURT
Aircraft Owner City RALEIGH
Aircraft Owner State NC
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 27609
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name ALLEN SMITH
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 716 STALEY COURT
Operator City RALEIGH
Operator State NC
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 27609
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) Other Work Use
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1108
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code HPN
Destination City WHITE PLAINS
Destination State NY
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:30AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 14
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --