Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Keyser's Ridge, Maryland 21520
Monday, October 29, 1984 14:15 EST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE FLT WAS THE FINAL LEG OF A FLT FROM WINCHESTER, VA THAT HAD BEEN DISCONTINUED THE DAY BEFORE DUE TO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS. TWO WEATHER BRIEFINGS WERE OBTAINED ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT, BOTH OF WHICH INCLUDED THE STATEMENT THAT VFR FLIGHT WAS NOT RECOMMENDED FOR THE PROPOSED ROUTE OF FLIGHT ALONG INTERSTATE 48. THE PLT STATED TO A FRIEND THAT THE WEATHER LOOKED 'TERRIBLE' BUT WAS GOOD ENOUGH TO GET HOME, AND THAT SHE WOULD TURN AROUND IF POOR WEATHER WAS ENCOUNTERED. WITNESSES TRAVELING WEST ON ROUTE 48 SAY THE ACFT AT APRX 400 FT AS IT FLEW BELOW THE OVERCAST OBSCURING THE HILLTOPS. THE CEILING LOWERED IN THE VICINITY OF THE ACCIDENT SITE AND WITNESSES OBSVD THE ACFT IN A STEEP LEFT BANK 50 TO 60 FT ABOVE THE GRND. THE NOSE PITCHED SHARPLY DOWNWARD AND THE ACFT STRUCK AND CAME TO REST ON A HIGHWAY ACCESS RAMP. A FIRE ENSUED. FOG AND RAIN SUBSEQUENTLY ENVELOPED THE SITE PRECLUDING A MEDEVAC HELO LANDING ON SCENE. THE PLT SUCCUMBED TO INJURIES IN A HOSPITAL ABOUT 8 HRS AFTER THE ACCIDENT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 10/29/1984
Event Day of the Week Monday
Time of Event 1415
Event Time Zone Eastern Standard Time
Event City KEYSER'S RIDGE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 21520
Event Date Year 1984
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 Full
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1350 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 280
Weather Observation Facility ID MGW
Elevation of weather observation facility 1248
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 25
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 200
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Obscured
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 1
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) --
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) --
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 310
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) --
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) 3308
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 27884
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Instrument Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N172VF
NTSB Number BFO85FA004
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 None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name de Havilland
Aircraft Model DH 82 TIGER MOTH
Aircraft Series Identifier DH 82 TIGE
Aircraft Serial Number NM. 133
Certified Max Gross Weight 1770
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours 1400
ELT Installed Unknown
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name LOIS A. FIDA
Aircraft Owner Street Address 308 NORTH YORK
Aircraft Owner City WHEELING
Aircraft Owner State WV
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
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 1W3
Departure City CUMBERLAND
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1340
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code 8G6
Destination City CADIZ
Destination State OH
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 6
Runway Length --
Runway Width --
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --