Garrett County Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mchenry, Maryland 21541
Sunday, October 29, 1989 11:19 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT TOOK OFF WITH WINDS THAT VARIED FROM A LEFT CROSSWIND TO A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND. THE RWY SLOPES UPWARD, AND THE TERRAIN SLOPES DOWN PAST THE RWY END. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, ALTHOUGH THE ACFT CLIMBED SLOWLY, AND THE ACFT ROLLED LEFT AND RIGHT SEVERAL TIMES, THE ENGINE WAS OPERATING THE ENTIRE TIME. THE ACFT ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN, DESCENDED AND CRASHED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THE FLAPS WERE EXTENDED 30 DEGREES (FULL DOWN). ACCORDING TO AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA THE BEST RATE OF CLIMB WITH 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS IS ABOUT 310 FPM, BASED ON STANDARD TEMPERATURE CONDITIONS. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE ABOUT 4000 FT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO OBTAIN ADEQUATE TAKEOFF AIRSPEED AS A RESULT OF AN IMPROPER FLAP SETTING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS WERE A TAKEOFF WITH A TAILWIND, AN UPSLOPING RUNWAY, AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/1989
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1119
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City MCHENRY
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21541
Event Date Year 1989
Event Date Month 10
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport GARRETT COUNTY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID 2G4
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 0
Airport Elevation 2933
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1150
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID MGW
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 25000
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) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 9
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 230
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) 4000
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 2
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 2
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1850
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 29 1989 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1430
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 40942
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 1:07PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30036
NTSB Number BFO90FA003
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 CESSNA
Aircraft Model 177
Aircraft Series Identifier 177
Aircraft Serial Number 17701039
Certified Max Gross Weight 2350
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection Oct 20 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 93
Airframe Hours 1515
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RDI, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address BOX 220D
Aircraft Owner City WASHINGTON
Aircraft Owner State PA
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 15301
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name RDL INC.
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address BOX 220D
Operator City WASHINGTON
Operator State PA
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 15301
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 1119
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 3G2
Destination City WASHINGTON
Destination State PA
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 26
Runway Length 2495
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --