# NTSB NYC95LA111: Rockwell 112B, N1409J, Edgewater, MD, May 17, 1995

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: May 17, 1995, 18:15 local (22:15 UTC)
- Place: Edgewater, MD
- Coordinates: 38.899238, -76.540466 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.8992&lon=-76.5405&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 2 uninjured
- Status: Completed, report January 19, 1996
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 38960
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=NYC95LA111
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/38960/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC95LA111

## Probable cause

THE PILOT'S IMPROPER DECISION TO CONTINUE HIS FLIGHT INTO THE ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS THAT EXISTED AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE WEATHER CONTRIBUTED TO THE ACCIDENT.

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Loss of control - on ground/water, landing - roll
  - weather condition - rain (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - tailwind (contributing factor)
  - flight into adverse weather - continued, pilot in command (cause)
  - aircraft performance,hydroplaning condition
- On ground/water collision with object, landing - roll
  - object - fence
  - object - pole

## Analysis

THE AIRPLANE LANDED ON A WET, NARROW 2500-FT RUNWAY. WHEN THE PILOT APPLIED THE BRAKES, THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED, DEPARTED THE RUNWAY, AND STRUCK A FENCE AND POLE. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE IMMEDIATELY APPLIED 'FULL BRAKES...BUT THERE WAS NIL SENSATION OF BRAKING EFFECT.' WITNESSES SAID IT WAS RAINING HEAVY, AND THE WINDS WERE GUSTING AND CHANGING DIRECTION. A WITNESS SAID THERE WERE 'STRONG GUSTING WINDS THAT WOULD BE A TAILWIND FOR LANDING ON RUNWAY 12.' ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE AIRPLANE ON FINAL, AND '...IT WAS LINED UP FOR RUNWAY 12, APPEARED TO BE HIGH ON THE APPROACH AND FAST...[AND] APPEARED TO BE IN A CRAB....' THE NEAREST REPORTED WEATHER WAS AT BALTIMORE, ABOUT 14 NM NORTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. THE 1805 OBSERVATION WAS 1,700 BROKEN, 12,000 OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 7 MILES, THUNDERSTORMS AND LIGHT RAIN, WIND 260 DEG AT 9 KNOTS, GUSTING TO 21.

## Factual narrative

On May 17, 1995, about 1815 eastern daylight time, a Rockwell 112B, N1409J, was substantially damaged when it collided with a fence during the landing roll at Lee Airport, Edgewater, Maryland.  The airline transport pilot and one passenger were not injured.  Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and an IFR flight plan had been filed.  The personal flight departed Chesapeake, Virginia at 1645, and was conducted under 14 CFR Part 91.

The airplane landed on runway 12 (2500 feet long and 45 feet wide).  The runway was wet, and when the pilot applied the brakes, the airplane skidded, departed the runway, struck a fence, and a pole.

The pilot stated that he had departed a day earlier, "...so as not to rush and avoid bad forecasted weather."  He filed an IFR flight plan with Leesburg Flight Service Station (FSS), and received a full weather briefing.  He wrote, "...FSS commented weather was not unfolding as badly as predicted."  En route at 7000 feet mean sea level (MSL), the pilot stated he was "in and out of the clouds [and] noticed strong winds from the west...."

According to the pilot's statement on the NTSB Form 6120.1/2:

...on let down...altitude 2500 feet and vectors to Lee,      controller said he had no landing weather at Lee, but      that his radar did show some rain over the field when      we were about 15 miles out.  He also said there was a      convective SIGMET to the north closer to Baltimore...we      had good visual contact with [the] ground at 2500 feet.      and 3 miles visibility, so we proceeded to the field to      checkout the field (winds, aircraft on runway etc.).       We had good visual contact with the field.  The rain      was aligned to the runway but to the north of the      field, south of the field it was clear with no rain and      even the sun breaking out in [the] distance about 25-30      miles estimate.  We made three calls on Lee UNICOM      122.4 for advisories but got no reply.

The pilot cancelled his IFR flight plan and elected to approach the airport from the south and land on runway 12.  According to the pilot he "calculated about 22 knots [wind] from the southeast."  According to the pilot's statement:

...we then departed the field to the south to stay in      the clear...we made another advisory call in the blind      that we were approaching from the south...we rolled      onto final on centerline and on VASI glideslope and      experienced light rain, but no wind gusts air smooth.       We touched down at displaced threshold at approximately      60 knots to 65 knots...told my son to raise the flaps      to put more weight on the wheels for braking and      directional control.  I immediately applied full      brakes...but there was nil sensation of braking effect.      I then attempted to pump the brakes as in a manual      anti-skid procedure and was as though we were skidding      on ice.  When I realized stopping on the runway was      impossible, I put in full left rudder to avoid a      building structure on the right at the end of the      runway...we slid off the runway penetrated a cyclone      fence and two poles at the end the end of the airport      fence line, struck evergreen shrubs and one 4x4 posted      sign...port [left] wing tip hit the upcoming bank      building...turned 90 degrees or perpendicular to the      building and came to a stop nose down....

The FAA inspector wrote:

He [pilot] felt there were no conditions at any point       in the approach and landing that he could not handle or            would exceed the limitations of the aircraft.  He said he          had done this type of landing before in...military aircraft      and this landing wasn't any different in his view.

The FAA asked the pilot about wind shifts or possible tail winds, and the pilot responded, "he did not feel any."

Witnesses that either saw the landing or the approach said at the time of the accident it was raining "heavy."  The witnesses told the FAA the winds were gusting and changing direction.  A witnesses told the FAA she saw the landing, and there were "strong gusting winds that would be a tail wind for landing on Runway 12..."  One of the witnesses, an airline captain, saw the airplane on final approach.  He wrote, "...it was lined up for runway 12, appeared to be high on the approach and fast...[and] appeared to be in a crab...."

The nearest reported weather was at Baltimore (BWI) located about 14 nautical miles north of the accident site.   The BWI 1805 weather observation was; 1700 broken, 12,000 overcast, visibility 7 miles, thunderstorms and light rain, temperature missing, dew point missing, wind 260 degrees, 9 knots, gusts to 21, altimeter 29.64 inches Hg.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N1409J](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N1409J-1997-10-14), registration cancelled 1997-10-14, S/N 529 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: ROCKWELL 112B
- Registry model: [Rockwell International 112B](https://openairdocs.org/model/rockwell-international-112b) (registry code 7630303) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 529
- Airframe hours: 2967
- Engines: LYCOMING IO-360-C1D6 200 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Registered owner: Terrence M. Dudash
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, January 1, 1995, 1,270 hours before
- Departed: CKP, CHESAPEAKE, MD
- Destination: ANP
- Flight plan: IFR
- Airport: ANP, Lee, runway 12, 2,500 × 45 ft, asphalt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 45; military, commercial, airline transport; airplane ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 6,215 total, 239 in this make and model, 3,506 as pilot in command, 64 in the last 90 days, 24 in the last 30 days

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 9 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: 1,700 ft broken
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observed at: BWI, 14 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 (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19950517011829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19950517011829A), May 17, 1995: Gulstm 112B, Annapolis, MD, Substantial damage. Landed on wet narrow runway. Skidded and hydroplaned off runway. Heavy rain gusty crosswind. Thunderstorm nearby.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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