Socata TB-10 accident near Damascus, Maryland, July 24, 1995
On July 24, 1995 at about 9:08 pm local time, a Socata TB-10, registered N20BX, was destroyed in an accident near Damascus, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's inadequate inflight planning and fuel mismanagement, which resulted in fuel exhaustion.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 24, 1995 · about 9:08 pm local time
- Place
- Damascus, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Socata TB-10 · all TB-10s on the register
- Registration
- N20BX · no longer on the register · serial 496
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At 2500 feet msl, the pilot advised air traffic control, that he had a loss of engine power. He indicated that he was 'running out of fuel.' During the forced landing, the aircraft struck trees short of a field where the pilot was attempting to land. The examination of the wreckage revealed the fuel tanks were empty. The last known refueling of the airplane was on July 20, 1995. At that time 31.9 gallons of fuel were added to the tanks. Between the last refueling and the accident, the airplane flew 5 hours and 36 minutes. This model airplane has a total fuel capacity of 51 gallons, and a range of 5 hours 5 minutes at a 72% power setting. At the same power setting at 2000 feet the fuel consumption rate is 10.6 gallons per hour.
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: 131 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 67 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,429 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1995; 72 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,535 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Fly Boys INC
The flight
- Departed from: N80 Ocean City MD at 8:30 pm
- Destination: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from IAD, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.