# Accident 20260620011489A: Piper PA-28-181, Bowie, MD, June 20, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: June 20, 2026, 23:28 local time
- Place: Bowie, MD
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.9796° N, 76.7318° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.9796&lon=-76.7318&mi=10
- Aircraft: N249WF, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N249WF) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O&VO-360 series (registry code 41514, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-vo-360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Reported engine: LYCOMING O&VO-360 SER
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 60 total, 60 in this make and model, 48 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB ERA26FA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA243) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260620011489A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

NARRATIVE OF FLIGHT:

ON JUNE 20, 2026, AT APPROXIMATELY 16:30 LOCAL TIME, A PIPER PA-28-181 DEPARTED MONTGOMERY COUNTY AIRPARK (GAI) IN GAITHERSBURG, MARYLAND, BOUND FOR OCEAN CITY MUNICIPAL AIRPORT (26N) IN OCEAN CITY, NEW JERSEY. THE FLIGHT WAS CONDUCTED BY A PRIVATE PILOT ACCOMPANIED BY TWO STUDENT PILOT PASSENGERS. THE INITIAL LEG OF THE FLIGHT CONCLUDED WITH A ROUTINE LANDING AT 17:41 EDT. AT 21:28 EDT, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED 26N TO CONDUCT THREE-NIGHT TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS TO SATISFY THE PILOT'S NIGHT LANDING CURRENCY REQUIREMENTS, LANDING AT 21:44 EDT. THE RETURN FLIGHT TO GAI COMMENCED AT 22:10 EDT UNDER NIGHT VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS (VMC).

DURING THE RETURN LEG, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO A CRUISE ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8,600 FEET MEAN SEA LEVEL (MSL) BEFORE DESCENDING TO 2,000 FEET MSL APPROXIMATELY 40 MILES INTO THE FLIGHT. AT 23:26 EDT, THE AIRCRAFT ENTERED A SLOW, CONTINUOUS DESCENT. WHILE RECEIVING AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) FLIGHT-FOLLOWING SERVICES IN THE VICINITY OF FORT MEADE, MARYLAND, THE PILOT TRANSMITTED A PARTIALLY UNINTELLIGIBLE RADIO CALL ("...WE ARE CLOSE TO KFME"), SET THE TRANSPONDER TO EMERGENCY CODE 7700, AND REQUESTED VECTORS TO FREEWAY AIRPORT (W00), MARYLAND. AT 23:28 EDT, THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE DIVERSION AIRPORT WAS NOT IN SIGHT, AND RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST SHORTLY THEREAFTER. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY IMPACTED A HEAVILY WOODED AREA IN BOWIE, MARYLAND, RESULTING IN FATAL INJURIES TO ALL THREE OCCUPANTS. SUBSTANTIAL STRUCTURAL DAMAGE TO THE AIRCRAFT, INCLUDING THE SEPARATION OF THE WINGS AND STABILIZER, AND A CRUSHED COCKPIT.

OPERATIONAL FUEL MANAGEMENT:

ACCORDING TO THE PILOT'S ROOMMATE, WHO WAS OPERATING A SEPARATE AIRCRAFT SEVERAL MINUTES AHEAD OF THE ACCIDENT AIRCRAFT, THE PILOT WAS AWARE PRIOR TO DEPARTING KGAI THAT THE FUELING STATION AT 26N WOULD BE CLOSED UPON ARRIVAL. DESPITE THIS AWARENESS, THE PILOT INITIATED THE NIGHT RETURN FLIGHT WITHOUT SECURING SUPPLEMENTARY FUEL OR ESTABLISHING A VIABLE CONTINGENCY FUEL PLAN. THIS OMISSION RESULTED IN THE COMPLETE DEPLETION OF THE RIGHT-WING FUEL TANK. DURING THE FLIGHT, THE PILOT NEGLECTED TO SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTOR TO THE LEFT-WING TANK, WHICH POST-ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED CONTAINED 10.5 GALLONS OF FUEL AN AMOUNT SUFFICIENT TO COMPLETE THE FLIGHT TO THE INTENDED DESTINATION.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB ERA26FA243](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/ERA26FA243), Jun 21, 2026: Piper PA-28-181 (N249WF), Bowie, MD, substantial damage, 3 fatal, investigation ongoing

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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