St Marys County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Leonardtown, Maryland 20650
Sunday, August 27, 1989 18:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

TO START THE ENG, THE PLT CHOCKED THE LEFT WHEEL & HAND PROPPED THE ACFT WITH THE THROTTLE SET AT IDLE. HOWEVER, AFTER THE ENG STARTED, ITS RPM WENT ABOVE IDLE & THE ACFT JUMPED THE CHOCK. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT COLLIDED WITH A PARKED ACFT & A RWY LIGHT BEFORE THE PLT CAUGHT THE PLANE & SHUT DOWN THE ENG. HE HAD PERFORMED MAINTENANCE ON THE ENG EARLIER THAT DAY & HAD IMPROPERLY SECURED THE THROTTLE CLAMP, WHICH ALLOWED THE THROTTLE CABLE TO SLIP TO A HIGHER RPM SETTING.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT PLANNING/PREPARATION BY THE PILOT BY NOT ASSURING THAT THE ACFT WAS PROPERLY SECURED, OR THAT SOMEONE WAS AT THE CONTROLS WHILE HE WAS HAND PROPPING THE ENGINE. A RELATED FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER ADJUSTMENT OF THE THROTTLE CABLE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/27/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1800
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City LEONARDTOWN
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20650
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport ST MARYS COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2W6
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 142
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 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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 24
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Variable
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Light and Variable
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
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 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1480
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Aug 27 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1830
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 39825
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 12:57PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N24463
NTSB Number BFO89LA077
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 TAYLORCRAFT
Aircraft Model BC-65
Aircraft Series Identifier BC-65
Aircraft Serial Number 1800
Certified Max Gross Weight 1100
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 Annual
Date of Last Inspection Jun 15 1989 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 1103
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOHN F LOFTUS
Aircraft Owner Street Address RT 1, 104 HUNT CT
Aircraft Owner City HOLLYWOOD
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20636
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN F. LOFTUS
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address ROUTE 1, 104 HUNT COURT
Operator City HOLLYWOOD
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20636
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 2W6
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
Departure Time Zone
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 Taxi
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 --