Individually Owned: 150,657
Corporate Owned: 137,281
Martin State Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report
Baltimore, Maryland 21220
Saturday, August 16, 2014 9:10 EDT
NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident
According to the pilot/owner/builder of the airplane, he conducted taxi tests, and then a final engine run-up and flight control check prior to takeoff on the airplane's second flight. After rotation, the airplane reached approximately 3 feet above the runway when the nose dropped, and application of full up elevator had no effect. The airplane struck the runway nose first, which resulted in substantial damage to the firewall. This was the identical outcome as the first flight several months prior. An FAA inspector estimated that the builder had added about 63 pounds with his modifications to the original airplane plans. The pilot performed the weight and balance on the airplane using bathroom scales and stated that there were no mechanical deficiencies that would have precluded normal operation of the airplane. His NTSB Form 6120.1 Operator/Owner Safety Recommendation was: "Re-weigh aircraft with calibrated scales to determine weight and balance. Fix apparent nose heavy aircraft with appropriate movement of the battery or additional weight in the tail section."
NTSB Probable Cause Narrative
The pilot/owner/builder's improper weight and balance calculations, which rendered the airplane uncontrollable in the pitch axis.
Event Information
| Type of Event | Accident |
| Event Date | 8/16/2014 |
| Event Day of the Week | Saturday |
| Time of Event | 910 |
| Event Time Zone | Eastern Daylight Time |
| Event City | Baltimore |
| Event State | MARYLAND |
| Event Country | -- |
| Zipcode of the event site | 21220 |
| Event Date Year | 2014 |
| Event Date Month | 8 |
| MidAir Collision Indicator | No |
| On Ground Collision occurred ? | No |
| Event Location Latitude | 391919N |
| Event Location Longitude | 0762429W |
| Event Location Airport | MARTIN STATE |
| Event Location Nearest Airport ID | MTN |
| Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport | On Airport |
| Distance from airport in statute miles | 0 |
| Degrees magnetic from airport | 130 |
| Airport Elevation | 22 |
| Weather Briefing Completeness | -- |
| Investigator's weather source | Weather Observation Facility |
| Time of the weather observation | 910 Eastern Daylight Time |
| Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) | 0 |
| Weather Observation Facility ID | MTN |
| Elevation of weather observation facility | 22 |
| Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) | 0 |
| Time Zone of the weather observation | EDT |
| Lighting Conditions | Day |
| Lowest Ceiling Height | -- |
| Lowest Non-Ceiling Height | 12000 |
| 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) | 21 |
| Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) | 16 |
| Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) | -- |
| Variable Wind Indicator | -- |
| Wind Speed (knots) | -- |
| Wind Velocity Indicator | Calm |
| Wind Gust Indicator | -- |
| Wind Gust (knots) | -- |
| Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) | 30.05 |
| Density Altitude (feet) | -- |
| Intensity of Precipitation | -- |
| METAR weather report | SPECI KMTN 161310Z 00000KT 10SM SCT120 21/16 A3005 |
| 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) | 33235 |
| NTSB Notification Source | FAA Eastern ROC |
| NTSB Notification Date | -- |
| NTSB Notification Time | -- |
| Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2014 10:49AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Basic weather conditions | Visual Meteorological Cond |
| FAA District Office | -- |
Aircraft Involved |
|
|---|---|
Aircraft #1 |
|
| Aircraft Registration Number | N853WD |
| NTSB Number | ERA14CA408 |
| Missing Aircraft Indicator | -- |
| Federal Aviation Reg. Part | Part 91: General Aviation |
| Type of Flight Plan filed | None |
| Flight plan Was Activated? | -- |
| Damage | Substantial |
| Aircraft Fire | None |
| Aircraft Explosion | None |
| Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name | DAY WILLIAM L |
| Aircraft Model | MINICOUPE |
| Aircraft Series Identifier | -- |
| Aircraft Serial Number | WD00001 |
| Certified Max Gross Weight | 878 |
| 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 | -- |
| Fixed gear or retractable gear | Fixed |
| Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection | Conditional |
| Date of Last Inspection | Jun 29 2013 12:00AM |
| Airframe hours since last inspection | 1 |
| Airframe Hours | 1 |
| ELT Installed | No |
| ELT Activated | Unknown |
| ELT Aided Location of Event Site | Unknown |
| ELT Type | -- |
| Aircraft Owner Name | DAY WILLIAM L |
| Aircraft Owner Street Address | -- |
| Aircraft Owner City | ROSEDALE |
| Aircraft Owner State | MD |
| Aircraft Owner Country | USA |
| Aircraft Owner Zipcode | 212371920 |
| Operator is an individual? | No |
| Operator Name | DAY WILLIAM L |
| Operator Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Is Doing Business As | -- |
| Operator Address Same as Owner? | Yes |
| Operator Street Address | -- |
| Operator City | ROSEDALE |
| Operator State | MD |
| Operator Country | USA |
| Operator Zip code | 212371920 |
| 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 | Yes |
| Departure Airport Code | MTN |
| Departure City | Baltimore |
| Departure State | MD |
| Departure Country | USA |
| Departure Time | -- |
| Departure Time Zone | EDT |
| Destination Same as Local Flt | dest & departure same, accident can occur anywhere |
| Destination Airport Code | MTN |
| Destination City | Baltimore |
| Destination State | MD |
| Destination Country | USA |
| Specific Phase of Flight | -- |
| Report sent to ICAO? | -- |
| Evacuation occurred | -- |
| Date of most recent change to record | Sep 30 2014 10:49AM |
| User who most recently changed record | kenj |
| Since inspection or accident | Time of Accident |
| Event Location Runway Number and Location | 33 |
| Runway Length | 6997 |
| Runway Width | 180 |
| Sight Seeing flight | No |
| Air Medical Flight | No |
| Medical Flight | -- |