Freeway Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Mitchellville, Maryland 20716
Thursday, May 13, 1982 21:00 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE PILOT TOOK OFF ON A DARK NIGHT TO AN AIRPORT THAT HE HAD NEVER LANDED AT BEFORE. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE BECAME DISORIENTED AND CALLED A FLIGHT SERVICE STATION FOR HELP. A MILITARY HELICOPTER PILOT RENDEZVOUSED WITH THE LOST PILOT AND PROVIDED VECTORS TO THE DESTINATION. POWER LINES WERE LOCATED NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. MOST OF THE PILOTS THAT WERE FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT PLANNED THEIR APPROACHES TO GO INSIDE THE POWER LINES. HOWEVER, THE PILOT OF N3563W APPROACHED OVER THE LINES WHICH NECESSITATED A HIGH PATTERN. ALSO, THE PILOT STATED THAT AFTER HIS EN ROUTE EXPERIENCE, HE FORGOT TO LOWER HIS FLAPS. WHILE LANDING, HE FLOATED AND TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 500 TO 700 FT FROM THE DEPARTURE END. WITNESSES HEARD THE BRAKES SQUEALING AS THE PILOT CONTINUED OFF THE RUNWAY. AFTER DEPARTING THE RUNWAY, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED DOWN A GRADE AND INTO A GULLY AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED NO MECHANICAL PROBLEMS.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 5/13/1982
Event Day of the Week Thursday
Time of Event 2100
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MITCHELLVILLE
Event State MARYLAND
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 20716
Event Date Year 1982
Event Date Month 5
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude --
Event Location Longitude --
Event Location Airport FREEWAY
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W00
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 0
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Unknown
Time of the weather observation 2055
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 360
Weather Observation Facility ID BWI
Elevation of weather observation facility 0
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 15
Time Zone of the weather observation
Lighting Conditions Night/Dark
Lowest Ceiling Height 25000
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Unknown
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 5
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 70
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 0
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 180
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) 0
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Minor
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 --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1582
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information
Date of most recent change to record Oct 31 2002 4:04PM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\ZUZL
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N3563W
NTSB Number ATL82DA130
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-8016192
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class Unknown
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 Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection 234
Airframe Hours 1285
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated Unknown
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name DOUGLAS & MARYANNE GEFFERT
Aircraft Owner Street Address 5405 CROWS NEST CT.
Aircraft Owner City SIXESVILLE
Aircraft Owner State MD
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name MARVIN RENICH
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 6328 FROSTWORK ROW
Operator City COLUMBIA
Operator State MD
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 21044
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
Departure City FREDERICK
Departure State MD
Departure Country
Departure Time 1945
Departure Time Zone
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code
Destination City MITCHELLVILLE
Destination State MD
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Sep 18 2002 4:50PM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 18
Runway Length 2150
Runway Width 30
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --