Piper PA-32-300 accident near Westminster, Maryland, July 10, 1982
On July 10, 1982 at about 1:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4371X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Westminster, Maryland (Clearview Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- July 10, 1982 · about 1:06 pm local time
- Place
- Westminster, Maryland · Clearview Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4371X · registry record · serial 32-7640016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A CROSS-COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT ELECTED TO MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED STOP AT A UNFAMILIAR AIRPORT TO CHECK THE EN ROUTE WEATHER. HE CIRCLED THE AIRPORT AND THOUGHT THE WIND INDICATED FAVORED RUNWAY 31, BUT LATER, HE FOUND THAT THE WIND WAS CALM. NO RESPONSE WAS RECEIVED WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO CONTACT THE AIRPORT UNICOM. RUNWAY 31 SLOPED DOWNHILL AND HAD A 280 FT DISPLACED THRESHOLD. THE PILOT WAS UNAWARE THAT ONLY 1550 FT OF RUNWAY WAS AVAILABLE SINCE HIS SECTIONAL CHART INDICATED THAT IT WAS 1800 FT LONG. ALSO, HE WAS UNAWARE THAT MOST PILOTS USED RUNWAY 13 WHEN POSSIBLE TO AVOID THE DOWNSLOPE ON RUNWAY 31. DURING THE LANDING, HE TOUCHED DOWN NEAR MIDFIELD. HE RECOGNIZED THEN THAT THERE MIGHT NOT HAVE BEEN SUFFICIENT RUNWAY TO STOP, BUT RAISED THE FLAPS AND BRAKED HARD, RATHER THEN GO AROUND, BECAUSE OF TREES BEYOND THE END OF THE RUNWAY. DESPITE HEAVY BRAKING, THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 417 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 303 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,172 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1AS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Somerset NJ at 8:15 am
- Destination: W93 Orange County VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,550 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 176°F (80°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.