Harford County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Churchville, Maryland 21028
Saturday, May 22, 1999 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The pilot reported that on the takeoff roll, just as he rotated for liftoff, the airplane was struck by a gust of wind and blown off the runway to the left. He heard the stall warning horn sound and aborted the takeoff. The airplane remained to the left of the runway and the left wing struck some trees, after which the airplane turned into the trees. The pilot had logged 7.8 hours in the preceding 11 1/2 months. He had logged 5.8 hours in the preceding 90 days. An Inspector from the FAA reported he interviewed witnesses who reported the crosswind was about 7 knots maximum.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the takeoff roll. Factors were the pilot's lack of recent experience, and the crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/22/1999
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CHURCHVILLE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21028
Event Date Year 1999
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport HARFORD COUNTY AIRPORT
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 0W3
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 409
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1500 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 120
Weather Observation Facility ID APG
Elevation of weather observation facility 59
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 6
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 15000
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 28
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 15
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 190
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 6
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
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) 482
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 25 1999 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1600
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 11:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N5679E
NTSB Number NYC99LA120
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed Unknown
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172N
Aircraft Series Identifier 172N
Aircraft Serial Number 17271917
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
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 Apr 2 1999 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 71
Airframe Hours 2172
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name HARFORD AIR SERVICE.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P.O. BOX 1281
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19899
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address HARFORD COUNTY AIRPORT
Operator City CHURCHVILLE
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 21028
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 0W3
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1500
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 10:35AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 10
Runway Length 2140
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --