Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Gingerville, Maryland 21401
Saturday, March 11, 1989 20:26 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS FLOWN FROM PITTSBURG, PA, TO CARROLLTON, OH, WHERE IT WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL. THE PLT STATED THAT THE NEXT INTENDED STOP WAS ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, HOWEVER, THE PLT DECIDED EN ROUTE TO CONTINUE TO OCEAN CITY, NJ. AFTER PASSING WOODBINE, NJ, EN ROUTE TO OCEAN CITY, THE PLT DECIDED TO RETURN TO WOODBINE FOR FUEL. AFTER LANDING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED AND FUEL WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FLT WAS THEN CONTINUED TO THE FINAL DESTINATION OF COLLEGE PARK, MD. THE PLT FLEW TO ANNAPOLIS, MD. WHICH HE WAS USING AS A REFERENCE POINT THEN NORTHWEST TO COLLEGE PARK. UNABLE TO LOCATE COLLEGE PARK, THE PLT RETURNED TO ANNAPOLIS AND INFORMED ATC THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL. ATC ISSUED VECTORS TO NEARBY LEE AIRPORT, HOWEVER, FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED PRIOR TO REACHING THE AIRPORT. THE ACFT CONTACTED POWER LINES, A CONCRETE MEDIAN BARRIER AND A VAN DURING THE FORCED LANDING ON ROUTE 2 SOUTH OF ANNAPOLIS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING EN ROUTE THAT RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO STOP AND REFUEL THE AIRPLANE AND FUEL EXHAUSTION.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/11/1989
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 2026
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City GINGERVILLE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21401
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 3
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID
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 90
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 340
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 150
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 14
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 10000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 15
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 2
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -3
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 160
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 4
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 221
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 11 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2043
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 38539
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:31PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9378T
NTSB Number BFO89LA021
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 PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-38-112
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-38-112
Aircraft Serial Number 38-78A0080
Certified Max Gross Weight 1670
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 2
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Feb 20 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 42
Airframe Hours 3091
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name K. C. LEASING, INC.
Aircraft Owner Street Address P. O. BOX 12568
Aircraft Owner City PITTSBURG
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15241
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 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 No
Departure Airport Code 1N4
Departure City WOODBINE
Departure State NJ
Departure Country
Departure Time 1910
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code CGS
Destination City COLLEGE PARK
Destination State MD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
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 0
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --