- Date
- January 30, 1992, 11:10 local (16:10 UTC)
- Place
- Baltimore, MD
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N9103QPiper PA-46
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 11, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920130001439A
- Case key
- 11763
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 failure of the fuel line, for undetermined reasons, resulting in a fuel leak causing an engine fire and total power loss.
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
During initial climbout from runway 14 on martin state airport, Baltimore, Maryland, at approximately 300 feet above ground level, the airplane's engine experienced total power loss and a fire. The pilot said he declared an emergency and made an approximate 280 degree turn back to the airport. The gear was extended, but due to the fire, the nose gear was disable and did not extend. An emergency landing was made on runway 32. Post accident investigations revealed a fuel leak in the engine's vapor return line. Due to the severe fire damage incurred by the fuel line, a failure mode could not be determined.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N9103Q
- Reported as
- Piper PA-46
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 273712R
- Airframe hours
- 864
- Engine
- Continental TSIO-520-BE1, 310 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Fire
- In-Flight
- Flight
- Other work use · Part 91
- Operator
- Allen Smith
- Registered owner
- Allen Smith
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · January 15, 1992 · 3 hours before
- Destination
- HPN · White Plains, NY
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- Martin State, runway 14
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
- 27
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 5,300 total · 550 in this make and model · 3,600 as pilot in command · 250 in the last 90 days · 85 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 2 statute miles
- Temperature
- 34 °F, dew point 30 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N9103Q · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.