What happened
The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.
On July 16, 2024, a Cessna 402 enroute from fort meade (tipton airport) MD, crashed into the tred avon river, 3.6 NM south west of the Easton, MD (kesn) airport. The crash resulted in the fatality of the single occupant, the PIC.
The aircraft came to a final rest:
38.747763
-76.119539
The weather at the time of the accident was better than 5,000 ceiling, and 5 miles visibility.
Kesn 160845Z auto 24006KT 9SM clr 28/25 A2984 rmk AO2 T02770246
Comments from the privacy data omitted indicate the pilot of the aircraft was conducting an after-action maintenance flight in the Easton airport area.
A witness to the crash event was positioned in direct sight of the accident overlooking the site where the aircraft impacted the river.
The witness stated:
“The airplane appears to have stalled mid-flight, then ‘flop’ into the water.
There was a circular, symmetrical plume/spray/wake once the aircraft impacted the water.
There was no skimming of the water, just a ‘plop’; no wake; no engine noise; no sputtering noises
As the FAA filed it
ON JULY 16, 2024, A CESSNA 402 ENROUTE FROM FORT MEADE (TIPTON AIRPORT) MD, CRASHED INTO THE TRED AVON RIVER, 3.6 NM SOUTH WEST OF THE EASTON, MD (KESN) AIRPORT. THE CRASH RESULTED IN THE FATALITY OF THE SINGLE OCCUPANT, THE PIC.
THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A FINAL REST:
38.747763
-76.119539
THE WEATHER AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT WAS BETTER THAN 5,000 CEILING, AND 5 MILES VISIBILITY.
KESN 160845Z AUTO 24006KT 9SM CLR 28/25 A2984 RMK AO2 T02770246
COMMENTS FROM THE ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ INDICATE THE PILOT OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS CONDUCTING AN AFTER-ACTION MAINTENANCE FLIGHT IN THE EASTON AIRPORT AREA.
A WITNESS TO THE CRASH EVENT WAS POSITIONED IN DIRECT SIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT OVERLOOKING THE SITE WHERE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE RIVER.
THE WITNESS STATED:
“THE AIRPLANE APPEARS TO HAVE STALLED MID-FLIGHT, THEN ‘FLOP’ INTO THE WATER.
THERE WAS A CIRCULAR, SYMMETRICAL PLUME/SPRAY/WAKE ONCE THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE WATER.
THERE WAS NO SKIMMING OF THE WATER, JUST A ‘PLOP’; NO WAKE; NO ENGINE NOISE; NO SPUTTERING NOISES
NTSB investigation
The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.