Piper PA-46 accident near Baltimore, Maryland, January 30, 1992
On January 30, 1992 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-46, registered N9103Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Baltimore, Maryland (Martin State airport). It was an other work-use 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 FAILURE OF THE FUEL LINE, FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS, RESULTING IN A FUEL LEAK CAUSING AN ENGINE FIRE AND TOTAL POWER LOSS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 30, 1992 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Baltimore, Maryland · Martin State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46 · all PA-46s on the register
- Registration
- N9103Q · no longer on the register · serial 273712R
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
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.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,300 hours in all; 550 in this make and model; 250 in the last 90 days; 85 in the last 30 days; 3,600 as pilot in command; 1,300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 864 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 1992; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BE1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HPN White Plains NY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N9103Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.