- Date
- September 8, 1990, 19:31 local (23:31 UTC)
- Place
- Forest Hill, MD
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N1540VBeech C35
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed · report December 30, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19900908038389A
- Case key
- 11556
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the turn from base to final approach. A factor was the pilot's abrupt aircraft handling during the turn.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
Ground witnesses reported that they observed the airplane as it maneuvered in the vicinity of the airport. They saw the airplane line up with a road located south of and almost parallel to the runway at the destination airport. The airplane made a descent as if approaching to land, then climbed out and circled around to line up with the road again. Witnesses stated that the airplane entered a steep (estimated 90 degrees) left bank, then stalled and fell to the ground. Review of air traffic control (ATC) tapes/transcripts revealed that the pilot had received radar assistance to his destination airport. Approximately 6 minutes before he crashed, the 69 year old pilot stated 'I think I got it now...ah, there's a couple of cars on the runway...is that the runway there on my left?' ATC repeated runway information, informed the pilot he had no control over the cars, and approved a frequency change.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1540V
- Reported as
- Beech C35
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- D-2886
- Engine
- Continental E-225-8, 225 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Chmielewski, Raymond S.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Departed
- BWI · Baltimore, MD
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 69
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,150 total · 3,050 as pilot in command · 25 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 80° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- -0 °F, dew point -0 °F
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.