Piper PA-28-140 accident near Westminster, Maryland, March 28, 1982
On March 28, 1982 at about 7:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N2490T, was destroyed in an accident near Westminster, Maryland (Carroll County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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 7:13 pm local time
- Place
- Westminster, Maryland · Carroll County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N2490T · no longer on the register · serial 28-7225077
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AFTER TAKEOFF FROM A 2930 FT RUNWAY WITH FOUR OCCUPANTS ON BOARD. THE AIRCRAFT WEIGHT WAS NOT KNOWN, BUT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 2334 LBS DURING TAKEOFF. THERE WAS A LIGHT WIND FROM THE WEST AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 42 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT. WITNESSES WHO OBSERVED THE TAKEOFF ROLL STATED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL, BUT THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT BECOME AIRBORNE UNTIL 2200 TO 2700 FT DOWN THE RUNWAY. REPORTEDLY, THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED NO HIGHER THAN 100 TO 150 FT AGL, THEN DISAPPEARED FROM THEIR VIEW ABOUT A MILE FROM THE RUNWAY. A PILOT THAT WAS LANDING IN ANOTHER PLANE OBSERVED THE AIRCRAFT TURN LEFT ABOUT 80 DEGREES DURING A LOW AND SLOW DEPARTURE. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES ABOUT 1.5 MILES FROM THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND LEFT OF ITS CENTERLINE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE. RELATIVES AND ACQUAINTANCES OF THE PILOT COULD NOT RECALL THE PILOT PREVIOUSLY OPERATING THE AIRCRAFT WITH FOUR ADULTS ON BOARD.
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
- Flight time: 98 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,961 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Westminster MD
- Destination: Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 2,930 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 108°F (42°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.