- Date
- June 14, 1992, 16:45 local (20:45 UTC)
- Place
- Elkton, MD
- Injuries
- 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N2326KPiper PA-38-112
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 14, 1993
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19920614021819A
- Case key
- 37170
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain the proper climb attitude which resulted in an aerodynamic stall. Factors in this accident were: the airplane weight and balance was exceeded, the pilot's lack of total experience in the type of airplane, and his lack of recent total experience.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot had not flown for over 30 months. He received 1.9 hours of dual instruction the month prior to the accident. The dual instruction was not considered a biennial flight review. The training was a check out in an airplane new to the pilot, conducted at a major airport with long runways. This departure was the pilot's first takeoff on a short runway with obstacles. Takeoff power was applied while the airplane accelerated. After liftoff, the pilot established the airplane, which was 40 pounds over the maximum gross weight, in a climb attitude which allowed the airspeed to bleed off from the desired 55 knots, to 40 knots. The airplane stalled, struck trees and impacted the ground.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N2326K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-38-112
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 3879A0575
- Airframe hours
- 6,144
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 112 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Dawn Aviation
- Registered owner
- Dawn Aviation
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 1, 1992
- Destination
- ILG · Wilmington, DE
- Airport
- 2N0 · Cecil County Airpark, runway 17, 2,500 × 40 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 30
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 220 total · 2 in this make and model · 180 as pilot in command · 2 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 170° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 79 °F, dew point 64 °F
- Observed at
- ILG, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.