- Date
- December 10, 1992, 15:35 local (20:35 UTC)
- Place
- Elkridge, MD
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N7770BBeech C-45G
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 28, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19921210049559A
- Case key
- 11864
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
Failure of the pilot to properly secure the cargo, which allowed a shift in the center of gravity during a missed approach maneuver and resulted in subsequent loss of aircraft control and flying speed. A factor related to the accident was failure of the pilot to assure the airplane was loaded within its proper weight and balance limitations.
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
The pilot supervised the loading of the airplane. According to info from a person that helped load the plane, the bill of lading, and actual weights and measurements of the cargo after the accident, the plane was loaded to a gross weight of 11,979 lbs with the CG 2.7 inches behind the aft limit. At the destination, the flight was vectored for an ILS runway 10 approach. About 3 mi from the runway, the pilot was told to make a missed approach due to inadequate separation from traffic. The pilot acknowledged, but soon thereafter, radar contact with the plane was lost. Witnesses saw the plane descend from a low cloud layer before it crashed. One witness said its wings were moving from side to side and the plane was falling faster than it was moving forward. There was evidence the plane had impacted in a flat attitude with little forward movement. Four cargo straps were found loose with no sign of tensile overload; 3 others and a restraining board were found loose as if they had not been used. No preimpact mechanical problem was found. The wind was from 090 deg at 21 gusting 32 KTS.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7770B
- Reported as
- Beech C-45G
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- AF-320
- Airframe hours
- 26,436
- Engine
- Garrett TPE-331-1-101, 620 horsepower, turbo prop
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 135
- Operator
- Kalitta Flying Service
- Registered owner
- Kalitta Flying Service
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- AAIP · January 2, 2000
- Departed
- DAY · Dayton, OH
- Destination
- BWI · Baltimore, MD
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- BWI · Balt-Wash Int'L, runway 1, 9,452 × 200 ft, asphalt
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
- 33
- Certificates
- Airline transport, Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 2,658 total · 657 in this make and model · 1,560 as pilot in command · 180 in the last 90 days · 90 in the last 30 days · 3 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 90° at 21 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility
- 3 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 900 ft broken
- Temperature
- 43 °F, dew point 43 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- BWI, 4 nm away
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 N7770B · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.