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October 4, 1985 · Piper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30 · N2106X

Gaithersburg, MD

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 4, 1985
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Gaithersburg, MD
Aircraft
Piper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30
Tail Number
N2106X
Operator
William P Mcintosh
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
BFO86FA002

THE PLT WAS CLRD FOR A VOR RWY 14 APCH. ON APCH, HE RPRTD AT THE SLEET INTXN (A FIX ON THE NDB APCH). THE ACFT WAS THEN SEEN FLYING OVR THE ARPT ON AN EASTERLY HDG. UNICOM OPERATOR SAID HE THEN HEARD THE PLT CALL "TURNING FINAL." HOWEVER, BFR LNDG, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED APRX .6 MI EAST OF THE ARPT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FND. WITNESSESESTD A 200' CEILING, VIS 1/4 TO 1/2 MI. A WX STUDY INDCD THE CLD BASES WERE NR 600' MSL, THE VIS (BLO CLDS) WAS LESS 1 MI. MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) & CIRCLING MIN ALT FOR THE APCH WERE 1180'. ARPT ELEV WAS 540'. DRG ARR, BFR REACHING THE VOR INITIAL APCH FIX (IAF) (17.3 MI NW OF ARPT), THE BWI CTLR CLRD THE PLT TO THE MIN VECTORING ALT (400' BLO THE IAF ALT), BUT DELAYED ADVISING FOR 8-1/2 MIN THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. AFTER REACHING THE IAF, THE PLT DELAYED TURNING OUTBND TWD THE HOLDING PATTERN. HE CONTD THE TURN & INTERCEPTED THE INBND COURSE FOR THE APCH APRX 15 MI NW OF THE ARPT. ARTCC RADAR (NOT AVAILABLE TO THE CTLR) SHOWED THE ACFT TRACKED RGT OF COURSE UNTIL CONTACT WAS LOST APRX 4 MI NW OF ARPT.

Full Narrative

THE PLT WAS CLRD FOR A VOR RWY 14 APCH. ON APCH, HE RPRTD AT THE SLEET INTXN (A FIX ON THE NDB APCH). THE ACFT WAS THEN SEEN FLYING OVR THE ARPT ON AN EASTERLY HDG. UNICOM OPERATOR SAID HE THEN HEARD THE PLT CALL "TURNING FINAL." HOWEVER, BFR LNDG, THE ACFT HIT TREES & CRASHED APRX .6 MI EAST OF THE ARPT. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FND. WITNESSESESTD A 200' CEILING, VIS 1/4 TO 1/2 MI. A WX STUDY INDCD THE CLD BASES WERE NR 600' MSL, THE VIS (BLO CLDS) WAS LESS 1 MI. MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) & CIRCLING MIN ALT FOR THE APCH WERE 1180'. ARPT ELEV WAS 540'. DRG ARR, BFR REACHING THE VOR INITIAL APCH FIX (IAF) (17.3 MI NW OF ARPT), THE BWI CTLR CLRD THE PLT TO THE MIN VECTORING ALT (400' BLO THE IAF ALT), BUT DELAYED ADVISING FOR 8-1/2 MIN THAT RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. AFTER REACHING THE IAF, THE PLT DELAYED TURNING OUTBND TWD THE HOLDING PATTERN. HE CONTD THE TURN & INTERCEPTED THE INBND COURSE FOR THE APCH APRX 15 MI NW OF THE ARPT. ARTCC RADAR (NOT AVAILABLE TO THE CTLR) SHOWED THE ACFT TRACKED RGT OF COURSE UNTIL CONTACT WAS LOST APRX 4 MI NW OF ARPT.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time19:08 EDT
Nearest AirportMontgomery County (6nm SE)
Runway14
Runway Length4235 ft
Runway Width73 ft
Flight Plan FiledIFR
Aircraft FireNo
Aircraft ExplosionNo

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30
Tail NumberN2106X
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
OperatorWilliam P Mcintosh
Operating RulePart 91
Engines1
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · TIO-540-S1AD · Reciprocating · 300
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 53 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDark Night
Wind120° @ 4 kt
Visibility3 sm
CeilingOvercast 200 ft
Temperature / Dew Point0 C / 0 C
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Weather SourceWIT

Appendix: Source Data