Beech E18S accident near Glen Burnie, Maryland, July 19, 1989
On July 19, 1989 at about 11:17 am local time, a Beech E18S, registered N138JR, was destroyed in an accident near Glen Burnie, Maryland (Baltimore-Washington airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A FIRE THAT ERUPTED IN THE COCKPIT OF THE AIRCRAFT (UNDER A SIDE PANEL). RELATED FACTORS WERE: SMOKE AND FUMES IN THE COCKPIT WHICH REDUCED THE PILOT'S VISUAL PERCEPTION AND ABILITY TO SEE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 19, 1989 · about 11:17 am local time
- Place
- Glen Burnie, Maryland · Baltimore-Washington · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech E18S · all E18Ss on the register
- Registration
- N138JR · no longer on the register · serial BA-41
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER DEPARTING FROM RUNWAY 15L AT THE BALTIMORE-WASHINGTON INTL ARPT, THE PLT TRANSMITTED THAT HE HAD AN EMERGENCY CONSISTING OF A FIRE UNDER HIS SIDE PANEL. HE RPRTD HE WAS GOING TO CIRCLE & LAND. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES, FLAMES & SMOKE WERE IN THE COCKPIT AREA. THE ACFT STARTED A GRADUAL DESCENT DURING A LEFT TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED INTO A HOUSE. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL THE ORIGIN OF THE FIRE; HOWEVER, A CB RADIO WAS FOUND WITH EVIDENCE THAT IT MAY HAVE BEEN WIRED TO THE ACFT ELECTRICAL SYSTEM. THE OWNERS STATED THAT THE CB WAS NOT INSTALLEDIN THE ACFT PRIOR TO THE PLT'S USE OF THE PLANE ON THAT FLT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,715 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 50 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,290 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 27, 1989; 39 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W R-985-14B (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
- Operator: Centre Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: BWI Baltimore MD
- Destination: W16 Winchester VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 33R, 3,199 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft; not recorded at 800 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:25 am from BWI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.