Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Essex Skypark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Baltimore, Maryland 21221
Saturday, January 10, 2004 10:15 EST
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
The airplane's hangar was not heated, and the temperature had dropped to about 10 degrees Fahrenheit the previous evening. The pilot pre-heated the engine for about 45 minutes before starting the engine. He taxied the airplane and performed an engine run-up for a total of about 20 minutes, then flew for about 5 minutes to another airport for a banner pickup. In the traffic pattern, the pilot applied carburetor heat, then turned it off shortly before banner pickup in anticipation of the climb. The pilot hooked the banner, then proceeded to climb the airplane while increasing engine power to 2,500 rpm. The engine then "gave one spat," but "climbed strong" until about 200 feet above the runway, when the engine rpm suddenly dropped, and the engine sputtered to a stop. The pilot instantly released the banner, then tried to revive the engine by applying carburetor heat and pumping the throttle. The pilot determined that because of the low altitude, he could not complete a turn back to the runway, so he landed straight ahead into trees. Post-accident inspection of the engine and fuel system revealed no mechanical anomalies. The temperature and dewpoint at the time of the accident were 16 and -2 degrees Fahrenheit, resulting in no probability of carburetor icing.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
A loss of engine power for undetermined reasons. Factors included a low ambient temperature and a lack of suitable terrain for the forced landing.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 1/10/2004 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 1015 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Standard Time |
| Event City | Baltimore |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21221 |
| Event Date Year | 2004 |
| Event Date Month | 1 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 391545N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0762558W |
| Event Location Airport | Essex Skypark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | W48 |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | Off Airport/Airstrip |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0.25 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 340 |
| Airport Elevation | 15 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | Unknown |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1145 Eastern Standard Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 13 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MTN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 22 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 4 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EST |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | -- |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | -- |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Overcast |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 10 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | -9 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | -19 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 330 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 7 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.45 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | None |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | -- |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | 1 |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | -- |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 16106 |
| NTSB Notification Source | EROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | Jan 12 2004 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | 700 |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | DMS |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 1 2004 7:08AM |
| User who most recently changed record | NTSB\MONR |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baltimore FSDO |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N242JG |
| NTSB Number | IAD04LA007 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | VFR |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | Yes |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Piper |
| Aircraft Model | PA-25-180 |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 25-670 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 2500 |
| 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 | 1 |
| Number of Engines | 1 |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Annual |
| Date of Last Inspection | Feb 6 2003 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 300 |
| Airframe Hours | 3720 |
| ELT Installed | Yes |
| ELT Activated | No |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | No |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Jay Gathmann |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Phoenix |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 21131 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | Phoenix Aerial Advertising |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Phoenix |
| Operator State | MD |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 21131 |
| 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) | Other Work Use |
| Second Pilot on Board | No |
| Departure Point Same as Event | No |
| Departure Airport Code | MTN |
| Departure City | Baltimore |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1205 |
| Departure Time Zone | EST |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | Baltimore |
| Destination State | MD |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Emergency landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | No |
| Evacuation occurred | No |
| Date of most recent change to record | Mar 2 2004 1:11PM |
| User who most recently changed record | PEAR |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 34 |
| Runway Length | 2084 |
| Runway Width | 28 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |