Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mitchellville, Maryland 20716
Sunday, December 30, 1990 13:10 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT REPORTED THAT BECAUSE OF THE WIND CONDITION, 15 KTS GUST TO 20 KTS, HE USED AN APCH SPEED OF ABOUT 98 TO 102 MPH, INSTEAD OF 87 MPH WHICH HE NORMALLY USES. HE ALSO USED FULL FLAPS. DURING THE APCH THE PLT SIDESLIPPED THE ACFT TO COMPENSATE FOR THE X-WIND. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THERE WAS A 15 TO 20 FT HIGH DIRTBANK SHORT OF THE RWY, AND WHEN HE FLEW OVER IT, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE PLT REPORTED THE ACFT ABRUPTLY LOST 30 FT OF ALTITUDE AND AS HE TRIED TO RECOVER, THE R MAIN GEAR STRUCK THE DIRTBANK, SEPARATING THE GEAR FROM THE ACFT. THE ACFT LANDED ON THE RWY AND SLID TO A STOP.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

PILOT FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ALTITUDE CLEARANCE ABOVE AN OBSTACLE AFTER THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/30/1990
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1310
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MITCHELLVILLE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20716
Event Date Year 1990
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W00
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 168
Weather Briefing Completeness Partial - limited by pilot
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 1351 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 22000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 9500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Overcast
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 19
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 20
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 31
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) 0
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) 1440
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Dec 31 1990 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 42750
Date of most recent change to record Dec 12 2000 5:36PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6945J
NTSB Number BFO91LA022
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91F: Special Flt Ops.
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-32R
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-32R
Aircraft Serial Number 32R-7680391
Certified Max Gross Weight 3600
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 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Oct 26 1990 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 63
Airframe Hours 3053
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MARYLAND AIRLINES, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 9 AIRPORT CIRCLE
Aircraft Owner City EASTON
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21601
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate Yes - certificate holder
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 Unknown
Indicates Domestic or International Flight Unknown
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail Unknown
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board Yes
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code ESN
Departure City EASTON
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1250
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code
Destination City
Destination State
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Approach
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 0
Runway Length 2400
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --