Piper PA-32-301T accident near Lexington Park, Maryland, March 28, 1982
On March 28, 1982 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-301T, registered N81573, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington Park, Maryland (Park Hall airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 28, 1982 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Lexington Park, Maryland · Park Hall · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301T · all PA-32-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N81573 · registry record · serial 32 8024004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE DECELERATING THROUGH APPROXIMATELY 50 KNOTS ON LANDING ROLLOUT HE LOWERED THE NOSE. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AFTER ENCOUNTERING A SOFT SPOT ON THE RUNWAY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 50 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 365 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TSO-520-51AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chantilly VA at 12:45 pm
- Destination: Huntington WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 1,800 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.