Piper PA-32-260 accident near Laurel, Maryland, May 13, 1983
On May 13, 1983 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N4823T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurel, Maryland (Suburban airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- May 13, 1983 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Maryland · Suburban
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N4823T · registry record · serial 32-7200017
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STARTED A GO-AROUND AFTER THE ACFT HAD PROGRESSED OVER HALF WAY DOWN THE RUNWAY IN THE AIR. WHEN FULL POWER WAS APPLIED THE ENGINE SPUTTERED AND QUIT. THE PILOT CHANGED FUEL TANKS, LOWERED THE NOSE AND LANDED STRAIGHT AHEAD IN THE TOPS OF TREES. UPON TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE, A VERY MINOR AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE BOOST PUMP, SELECTOR VALVE, FUEL STRAINER, ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND CARBURETOR.
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: 2,874 hours in all; 2,020 in this make and model; 113 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 2,704 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,001 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 2, 1983; 934 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MRB Martinsburg WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 2,165 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N4823T the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.