Piper PA-32-300 accident near Ft. Washington, Maryland, July 17, 1983
On July 17, 1983 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N2203U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ft. Washington, Maryland (P.G. Airpark airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 17, 1983 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Ft. Washington, Maryland · P.G. Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2203U · registry record · serial 32-7940062
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON RWY 6 ON A DARK NIGHT. THE PLT STATED THAT THE AIRSPEED INDICATED 85 KTS AS THE ACFT WAS OVER THE RWY NUMBERS, AND AFTER A NORMAL LANDING, HE APPLIED BOTH BRAKES. HE REPORTED THAT AS SOON AS HE APPLIED BRAKES, THE ACFT BEGAN A RIGHT TURN AS IF THE BRAKES LOCKED. HE RELEASED THE BRAKES & APPLIED LEFT BRAKE & RUDDER, BUT THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE ACFT CONTINUED SKIDDING SIDEWAYS, WENT OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RWY & COLLIDED WITH 2 PARKED ACFT; A PIPER PA-28, N4842L & A GRUMMAN AMERICAN AA-5, N5462L. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT THE SKID MARKS BEGAN APRX 1900 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE 2580 FT RWY. MEASUREMENTS OF 3 SKID MARKS ON THE RWY REVEALED THAT THE PLANE SKIDDED 272 FT WHILE ANGLED UP TO 35 TO 40 DEG FROM THE RWY HEADING. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, THE PLANE SKIDDED ANOTHER 262 FT BEFORE STRIKING THE OTHER 2 ACFT. THE PASSENGER (A STUDENT PLT) IN THE COPILOT'S SEAT ADMITTED HE APPLIED THE BRAKES ON HIS SIDE WHEN HE SAW THAT THE ACFT WAS DEPARTING THE RWY.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 627 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 33 in the last 30 days; 444 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 854 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 30, 1983; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dulles Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: WDL Waterville MA
- Destination: W28 Ft. Washington MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 6, 2,580 ft by 36 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 280° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from DCA, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL83FIA03.