Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Ridgely Airpark Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Ridgely, Maryland 21660
Tuesady, September 9, 2008 19:00 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
During an attempted landing in fog at an uncontrolled airport, when the airplane impacted terrain. The pilot did not hold a valid Federal Aviation Administration medical certificate and did not possess an instrument rating. The airplane was unregistered, and was not equipped for flight in instrument conditions. The pilot had departed the airport sometime after 1800 eastern daylight time on the day of the accident, and returned to the airport approximately one hour later just prior to sunset. Preceding the departure a small temperature dew point spread existed, and the wind velocity had decreased until the wind was calm. During the accident flight, the temperature and dew point spread converged, which resulted in the formation of fog. No record of the pilot having received a weather briefing prior to the flight was discovered.
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot's inadequate preflight weather evaluation which resulted in an attempted landing in fog and subsequent impact with terrain.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 9/9/2008 |
| Event Day of the Week | Tuesday |
| Time of Event | 1900 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Ridgely |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21660 |
| Event Date Year | 2008 |
| Event Date Month | 9 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 385812N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0755159W |
| Event Location Airport | Ridgely Airpark |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | RJD |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | -- |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | -- |
| Airport Elevation | 64 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 1857 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 224 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | ESN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 72 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 14 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Dusk |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 3500 |
| Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions | Unknown |
| Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling | Unknown |
| Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) | -- |
| Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) | -- |
| Visibility (Statute Miles) | 0 |
| Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) | 23 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 22 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | 0 |
| Variable Wind Indicator | Wind direction could be determined |
| Wind Speed (knots) | 0 |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust Indicator | Not Gusting |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.02 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | -- |
| Event Highest Injury | Fatal |
| On Ground, Fatal Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Minor Injuries | -- |
| On Ground, Serious Injuries | -- |
| Injury Total Fatal | 1 |
| Injury Total Minor | -- |
| Injury Total None | -- |
| Injury Total Serious | -- |
| Injury Total All | 1 |
| Investigating Agency | NTSB |
| NTSB Docket Number (internal use) | 26788 |
| NTSB Notification Source | Maryland State Police |
| NTSB Notification Date | Sep 10 2008 12:00AM |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Jun 15 2010 2:30PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Basic weather conditions | Instrument Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | Baltimore, MD |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N511MD |
| NTSB Number | NYC08LA310 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | No |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | Dufault Mark V |
| Aircraft Model | Pitts S-1D |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | 52206 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | -- |
| Aircraft Category | Airplane |
| Aircraft Registration Class | -- |
| Aircraft is a homebuilt? | Yes |
| 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 | Unknown |
| Date of Last Inspection | -- |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | -- |
| Airframe Hours | -- |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | Mark V Dufault |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | Oxford |
| Aircraft Owner State | ME |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 04270 |
| Operator is an individual? | Yes |
| Operator Name | Ronald D. Fenwick |
| Operator Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | No |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | Upper Marlboro |
| Operator State | MD |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 20774 |
| Operator Code | -- |
| Owner has at least one certificate | None |
| Other Operator of large aircraft? | No |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | RJD |
| Departure City | Ridgely |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | 1800 |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | -- |
| Destination City | -- |
| Destination State | -- |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | Landing |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | May 27 2010 2:44PM |
| User who most recently changed record | johb |
| Since inspection or accident | -- |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 3214 |
| Runway Width | 50 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |