Chesapeake Ranch Airstrip Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Lusby, Maryland 20657
Sunday, May 10, 1992 18:20 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE BACKFIRED AND LOST PARTIAL POWER, AND THE AIRPLANE CRASHED INTO WOODED TERRAIN ABOUT 250 FT BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE CARBURETOR WAS DISASSEMBLED, AND ALL COMPONENTS WERE ACCOUNTED FOR EXCEPT THE PRIMARY VENTURI. TWO OF THE THREE LEGS WHICH RETAINS THE VENTURI WERE SEPARATED, THE THIRD WAS COMPLETELY MISSING. VISUAL EXAMINATION OF THE REMAINING PORTIONS OF THE TWO SEPARATED LEGS REVEALED A MELTED AND RESOLIDIFIED APPEARANCE. ONE LEG PIECE WAS REMOVED FROM THE THROTTLE BODY, ULTRASONICALLY CLEANED IN ACETONE, AND SUBJECTED TO X-RAY ENERGY DISPERSIVE SPECTROSCOPY (EDS) IN AREAS THAT HAD A FRESH METAL APPEARANCE. THIS ANALYSIS GENERATED SPECTRA WITH LARGE ZINC PEAKS AND A MUCH SMALLER PEAK FOR ALUMINUM.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

A FAILURE OF THE CARBURETOR RESULTING IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/10/1992
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1820
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LUSBY
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20657
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CHESAPEAKE RANCH AIRSTRIP
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MD50
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport Off Airport/Airstrip
Distance from airport in statute miles 1
Degrees magnetic from airport 270
Airport Elevation 120
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1755 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 90
Weather Observation Facility ID NHK
Elevation of weather observation facility 1
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 8000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 3000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 6
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 18
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2968
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 47814
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N177RD
NTSB Number BFO92FA058
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17700419
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 1 1992 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 30
Airframe Hours 1950
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DENNIS CONSTRUCTION INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 12100 DOUBLETREE LANE
Aircraft Owner City LUSBY
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20667
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name DENNIS CONSTRUCTION INC.
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address 12100 DOUBLETREE LANE
Operator City LUSBY
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20667
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 Yes
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1819
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
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 31
Runway Length 2500
Runway Width 50
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --