Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Frederick, Maryland 21701
Sunday, March 3, 1985 21:17 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

DURING CRUISE FLT AT 7500 FT THE RPM STARTED TO DECREASE UNTIL THE PLT STATED THAT 'IT WAS JUST LIKE YOU RAN OUT OF GAS.' THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A WOODEN PWRLINE POLE DURING THE NIGHT FORCED LNDG AND CAME TO REST INVERTED. INVESTIGATION REVEALED ABOUT 20 GALLONS OF RED AVGAS IN THE RT TANK AND 1 GALLON IN THE LEFT TANK. APRX 3 OZS OF LIQUID WERE DRAINED FROM THE CARB WHICH ANALYSIS CONCLUDED THE MAJORITY OF IT TO BE WATER. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED THAT WING TANK SUMP DRAINS HAD BEEN INSTALLED IN MAY OF 1983 AND AND THE AD DEALING WITH WATER CONTAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM CAUSED BY WRINKLES/FOLDS IN THE TANK BLADDERS HAD BEEN SIGNED OFF IN SEPTEMBER 1984. THE MECHANIC THAT PERFORMED THE WORK WAS CONTACTED AND STATED HE FOUND NO WRINKLES THAT WOULD JUSTIFY INSTALLATION OF THE CESSNA DRAIN KIT DESCRIBED IN SERVICE LETTER SE84-9. EXAMINATION OF THE BLADDER TANKS REVEALED WRINKLES/FOLDS IN THE VICINITY OF BOTH OUTLETS FEEDING FUEL TO THE ENG.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 3/3/1985
Event Day of the Week Sunday
Time of Event 2117
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City FREDERICK
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21701
Event Date Year 1985
Event Date Month 3
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 4
Degrees magnetic from airport 245
Airport Elevation 388
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 2047 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID MRB
Elevation of weather observation facility 557
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 33
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Night/Bright
Lowest Ceiling Height 12000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Thin Broken
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
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) 3
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 0
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 0
Wind Velocity Indicator Calm
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
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 Serious
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor 1
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious 2
Injury Total All 3
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1443
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Mar 3 1985 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 2215
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 28809
Date of most recent change to record Sep 30 2004 3:03PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\HAMG
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N6388A
NTSB Number BFO85FA023
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 182
Aircraft Series Identifier 182
Aircraft Serial Number 33188
Certified Max Gross Weight 2550
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 Sep 1 1984 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 8
Airframe Hours 3437
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Yes
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name PAUL L. MYERS
Aircraft Owner Street Address 458 WILLIAMS STREET
Aircraft Owner City CUMBERLAND
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 21502
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name JAMES H. GARNER
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 97 PONTIAC WAY.
Operator City GAITHERSBURG
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 20878
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 2G4
Departure City OAKLAND
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 11
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code GAI
Destination City GAITHERSBURG
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 0
Runway Length 0
Runway Width 0
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --