Bellanca 7ECA accident near Ft. Meade, Maryland, June 25, 1982
On June 25, 1982 at about 11:04 pm local time, a Bellanca 7ECA, registered N4214Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Meade, Maryland (Tipton Aaf airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1982 · about 11:04 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Meade, Maryland · Tipton Aaf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Bellanca 7ECA · all 7ECAs on the register
- Registration
- N4214Y · registry record · serial 1199-77
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE CARBURETOR HEAT OPERATED DURING AN ENGINE RUN-UP BEFORE TAKEOFF, AND THAT HE USED THE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING EACH LANDING. DURING A TOUCH-AND-GO, HE LIFTED OFF AT 65 KTS, BUT THE PLANE SETTLED AND WOULD NOT CLIMB OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF AND THE PLANE CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT SAID THAT HE INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE PLANE TO AVOID OBSTRUCTIONS. DURING THE GROUND LOOP, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR ATTACHMENT U-BOLT FAILED AT AN OLD CRACK. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT A CARBURETOR HEAT CONTROL CLAMP WAS LOOSE AND ALLOWED THE CARBURETOR HEAT TO REMAIN "OFF." THE CABLE HAD BEEN RE-RIGGED ABOUT 71 TACH HRS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. ALSO, THE AIR INTAKE BOOT WAS IMPROPERLY POSITIONED AND ALLOWED UNFILTERED AIR TO ENTER THE CARBURETOR. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 81 AND 65 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, A SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING HAZARD WOULD HAVE OCCURRED AT LOW POWER SETTINGS.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 202 hours in all; 73 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 104 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,094 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ft. Meade Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: FME Ft. Meade MD at 6:30 pm
- Destination: FME Ft. Meade MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 28, 3,000 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 178°F (81°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from BWI, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.