College Park Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Riverdale, Maryland 20737
Monday, May 26, 1986 19:25 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

AIRCRAFT'S ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT WHILE THE AIRCRAFT WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 400 FEET AFTER DEPARTURE. IN AN ATTEMPT TO TURN BACK TO THE RUNWAY THE PILOT STALLED THE AIRCRAFT AND IT DESCENDED OUT OF CONTROL CRASHING INTO TREES AND THE GROUND. POST CRASH INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE PRESENCE OF UNCONTAMINATED WATER IN THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER FUEL INJECTOR NOZZLE. EXAMINATION OF DRAIN PLUGS IN THE LEFT WING FUEL TANKS AND FUEL SELECTOR VALVE REVEALED THE PLUGS TO BE RUSTED AND DIFFICULT TO REMOVE. THE AIRCRAFT SAT FROM AUGUST 1985 TO FEBRUARY 1986, OUTSIDE, WITH ONLY HALF FULL FUEL TANKS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/26/1986
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1925
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City RIVERDALE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20737
Event Date Year 1986
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport COLLEGE PARK
Event Location Nearest Airport ID CGS
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 140
Airport Elevation 49
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1953 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?) 16
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 25000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 12
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 22
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 13
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 140
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 800
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 3
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 948
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date May 26 1986 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2000
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 31299
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:14AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N14781
NTSB Number BFO86FA027
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 Ground
Aircraft Explosion Ground
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name BELLANCA
Aircraft Model 17-30A
Aircraft Series Identifier 17-30A
Aircraft Serial Number 75-30759
Certified Max Gross Weight 3325
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 Retractable
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Aug 12 1985 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 33
Airframe Hours 980
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name MICHAEL B. MCINTYRE
Aircraft Owner Street Address 853 SPRIGGS COURT
Aircraft Owner City ARNOLD
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21012
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 No
Departure Airport Code CGS
Departure City COLLEGE PARK
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1924
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code ANP
Destination City ANNAPOLIS
Destination State MD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Descent
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 15
Runway Length 2740
Runway Width 40
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --