Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Indian Head, Maryland 20640
Friday, October 16, 1987 11:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE NON-CERTIFICATED PLT TOOK THE ACFT WITHOUT PROPER AUTHORITY. A NOTE WAS FOUND IN HIS AUTOMOBILE THAT SHOWED HE INTENDED TO COMMIT SUICIDE. A REVOLVER WAS FOUND AT THE CRASH SCENE WITH A SPENT CARTRIDGE UNDER THE HAMMER. POSTMORTEM STUDIES SHOWED THE PILOT DIED FROM A GUNSHOT TO THE HEAD. A TOXICOLOGY CHECK SHOWED THE PLT HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.11%.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/16/1987
Event Day of the Week Friday
Time of Event 1100
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City INDIAN HEAD
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20640
Event Date Year 1987
Event Date Month 10
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 1100 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID DAA
Elevation of weather observation facility 69
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) 7
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 17
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 6
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 20
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 2
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
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) 2133
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Oct 16 1987 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1940
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 35723
Date of most recent change to record Dec 13 2000 2:54PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N9WB
NTSB Number BFO88FA003
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 172H
Aircraft Series Identifier 172H
Aircraft Serial Number 17255538
Certified Max Gross Weight 2150
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 Jul 27 1987 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name FREDERICK C NEWLAN
Aircraft Owner Street Address 3704 SPRING TERRACE
Aircraft Owner City TEMPLE HILLS
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 20748
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name FREDERICK C. NEWLAN
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3704 SPRING TERRACE
Operator City TEMPLE HILLS
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20031
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 W32
Departure City CLINTON
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 0
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 Unknown
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 --