Meriden Markham Municipal Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Meriden, Connecticut 06450
Saturday, December 19, 1992 14:00 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL, THE PILOT OBSERVED THAT THE AIRSPEED WAS NOT OPERATING. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF, BUT HE WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE AIRPLANE ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. THE PILOT SAID, 'AFTER THE ACCIDENT I REALIZE[D] THE STREAMER WAS RIPPED OFF BY THE WIND. I MUST NOT HAVE LOOKED IN THE HOLE [DURING PREFLIGHT].' HE FOUND THE PITOT TUBE BLOCKED WITH PART OF THE PITOT COVER.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER AIRPLANE PREFLIGHT, RESULTING IN NO AIRSPEED INDICATION DURING TAKEOFF, AND THE SUBSEQUENT ABORT WITH INSUFFICIENT RUNWAY AVAILABLE TO STOP PRIOR TO A COLLISION WITH THE TERRAIN.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/19/1992
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1400
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MERIDEN
Event State CONNECTICUT
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 06450
Event Date Year 1992
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MERIDEN MARKHAM MUNICIPAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MMK
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 102
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Pilot
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 3500
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) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 7
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 290
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 5
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) --
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 3
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 820
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 19 1992 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1650
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 48319
Date of most recent change to record Dec 11 2000 3:30PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1848A
NTSB Number NYC93LA047
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BEECH
Aircraft Model C-24R
Aircraft Series Identifier C-24R
Aircraft Serial Number M-2341
Certified Max Gross Weight 2450
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 Jan 2 2000 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 85
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name BONNIE L. SCHERF
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1245 BERWYN LA
Aircraft Owner City NEWARK
Aircraft Owner State OH
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 43055
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name BONNIE L. SCHERF
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code MMK
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1400
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 17N
Destination City CROSS KEYS
Destination State NJ
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Takeoff
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 36
Runway Length 3100
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --