Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Martin State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
White Marsh, Maryland 21162
Sunday, June 29, 2003 12:15 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The pilot was returning to an airport located inside an Air Defense Identification Zone (ADIZ). The pilot had filed a flight plan and was informed that the flight plan was valid for two hours after his proposed departure time of 0900. When the pilot contacted air traffic control (ATC) at 1114 and attempted to obtain clearance to enter the ADIZ, an air traffic controller was not able to locate a flight plan for the flight, and at 1126, the pilot was instructed to contact a flight service station to file a flight plan. The pilot reported to the Safety Board that he was not able to contact the flight service station; and made contact with air traffic control several times, while holding for a clearance into the ADIZ. At 1208:23 the airplane was cleared to land, and at 1214:16, the pilot declared an emergency due to fuel exhaustion. The airplane struck trees during the ensuing forced landing. The pilot further reported that while awaiting clearance into the ADIZ, he observed the fuel gages getting "pretty low" and estimated he had about 30 minutes of fuel remaining. The engine lost power about 15 or 20 minutes later. Review of communication transcripts revealed that the pilot did not inform ATC of the airplane's fuel status, nor did he inform ATC that he was unable to contact flight service to file a flight plan. Review of an aeronautical chart and an airport facility directory revealed that an airport was located about 8 miles east-northeast of the airplane's holding position. The airport was located outside of the ADIZ area and provided fuel services.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's in-flight decision to not land and refuel, which resulted in fuel exhaustion. A factor in the accident was the pilot's inadequate communications.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 6/29/2003 |
| Event Day of the Week | Sunday |
| Time of Event | 1215 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | White Marsh |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21162 |
| Event Date Year | 2003 |
| Event Date Month | 6 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 392145N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0762659W |
| Event Location Airport | MARTIN STATE |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MTN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 3 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 315 |
| Airport Elevation | 22 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Full |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1245 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 135 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MTN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 22 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 3 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3400 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Scattered |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | None |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 28 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 21 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 150 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 10 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.15 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Minor |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | 3 |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 3 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 15758 |
| NTSB Notification Source | |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jun 29 2003 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 1300 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 30 2004 12:15PM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baltimore |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N5138G |
| NTSB Number | NYC03LA139 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Cessna |
| Aircraft Model | 172K |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 17259068 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2400 |
| 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 | Jan 31 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 100 |
| Airframe Hours | 5435 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | Yes |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Yes |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Charles M. Schaefer |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Ellicott City |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21043 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Phoenix Aviation |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Baltimore |
| Operator State | MD |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 21220 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | -- |
| Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation | -- |
| 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 | FDK |
| Departure City | Frederick |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1020 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | -- |
| Destination Airport Code | MTN |
| Destination City | Baltimore |
| Destination State | MD |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Approach |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Apr 19 2004 4:04PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Last Inspection |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 15 |
| Runway Length | 6996 |
| Runway Width | 180 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |