Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Elkton, Maryland 21921
Sunday, May 17, 1987 19:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT WAS FLYING AT LOW ALTITUDE OVER AN AREA OF OPEN FIELDS WHEN ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE ACFT ABRUPTLY PITCHED DOWN AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. SOME WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD THE ENGINE OPERATING THROUGHOUT THE DESCENT WHILE OHTER WITNESSES REPORTED NO ENGINE SOUNDS. THE PLT STATED BEFORE THE FLIGHT THAT HE WAS GOING TO DO SOME PRACTICE FLYING. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED AT A PRACTICE AREA. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTION.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/17/1987
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 1930
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City ELKTON
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21921
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 5
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 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation --
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1853 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 290
Weather Observation Facility ID ILG
Elevation of weather observation facility 80
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 9
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) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 26
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 14
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 220
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 10
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 Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2107
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 17 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2115
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35449
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:22PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N714FZ
NTSB Number BFO87FA037
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 150M
Aircraft Series Identifier 150M
Aircraft Serial Number 15079153
Certified Max Gross Weight 1600
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 May 9 1986 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 98
Airframe Hours 3070
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name JOSEPH R HITE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 504 CREST RD
Aircraft Owner City WILMINGTON
Aircraft Owner State DE
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 19803
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JOHN R. HITE
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 204 BOXWOOD RD.
Operator City WILMINGTON
Operator State DE
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 19804
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 --
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 58M
Departure City ELKTON
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1900
Departure Time Zone EDT
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 Descent
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 --