Amateur-built WINDWAGON accident near Frederick, Maryland, July 16, 1982
On July 16, 1982 at about 10:10 pm local time, a amateur-built WINDWAGON, registered N8519F, was destroyed in an accident near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick Muni. airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- July 16, 1982 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick Muni.
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WINDWAGON
- Registration
- N8519F · no longer on the register · serial GW382
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE INITIAL TEST FLIGHT FOR THE EXPERIMENTAL AMATEUR BUILT AIRCRAFT. TWO GALLONS OF FUEL WAS ADDED TO THE AIRCRAFT WHICH DID NOT COMPLETELY FILL THE TANK. AFTER REFUELING, NUMEROUS HIGH SPEED TAXI RUNS AND LOW ALTITUDE LIFT-OFFS AND LANDINGS WERE MADE ON RUNWAY 23. THE PILOT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO MAKE A NORMAL TAKEOFF AND CLIMB TO ABOUT 100 FT AGL. HE THEN TURNED 90 DEG LEFT AND CONTINUED CLIMBING TO ABOUT 300 FT AGL. ANOTHER 90 DEG TURN WAS MADE TO DOWNWIND AND THE CLIMB WAS CONTINUED UNTIL ABEAM THE MIDPOINT OF THE AIRPORT. AT ABOUT THAT TIME, THE RIGHT WING DROPPED AND THE PLANE ENTERED A SPIN AND CRASHED. THE CONDITION OF THE PROPELLER SUGGESTED THE ENGINE WAS NOT DEVELOPING POWER AT IMPACT. NO INTERNAL MALFUNCTION WAS EVIDENT. THE FUEL TANK HAD RUPTURED BUT THERE WAS NO SIGN OR ODOR OF FUEL. NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL SYSTEM TO THE ENGINE.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 539 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Watson "Vw" GW-10 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Frederick MD at 6:09 pm
- Destination: Frederick MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 3,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 196°F (91°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.