Suburban Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Laurel, Maryland 20810
Sunday, April 23, 1989 16:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PLT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT ACCELERATE AFTER BECOMING AIRBORNE DURING THE SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF. THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED AND THE ACFT TRAVELED INTO A WOODED AREA OFF THE END OF THE RWY. AFTER THE PILOT AND THREE PASSENGERS EVACUATED THE ACFT, A SMALL FIRE STARTED IN THE ENGINE AREA. UNABLE TO PUT THE FIRE OUT WITH HAND HELD EXTINGUISHERS, THE FIRE DESTROYED THE ACFT. INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY FAILURES/MALFUNCTIONS WHICH WOULD HAVE PREVENTED THE ACFT FROM ACCELERATING PROPERLY.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED DURING THE ATTEMPTED SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/23/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1630
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LAUREL
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20810
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport SUBURBAN
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W18
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 145
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1652 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 146
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 7
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 20
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 320
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 8
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 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 681
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 23 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1800
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40055
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:35PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N1789H
NTSB Number BFO89LA031
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 None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-181
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-181
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7790341
Certified Max Gross Weight 2175
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 Feb 13 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 31
Airframe Hours 5257
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name GLENN I. ALTMAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address SUBURBAN AIRPORT
Aircraft Owner City LAUREL
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20810
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 Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 2030
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
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 3
Runway Length 2165
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --