Cessna 172 accident near Clinton, Maryland, April 20, 1983
On April 20, 1983 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N7617T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clinton, Maryland (Hyde Field). 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
- April 20, 1983 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Clinton, Maryland · Hyde Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N7617T · no longer on the register · serial 47217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES OBSERVED THAT THE ACFT TOOK OFF FROM RWY 31, BEGAN A LEFT TURN, THEN DESCEND INTO THE TREES. ONE WITNESS, A LINEBOY, STATED THAT HE HEARD THE ENGINE RUNNING UNTIL THE ACFT CONTACTED THE TREES. THE PLT RECEIVED A HEAD INJURY AND WAS UNABLE TO RECALL DETAILS OF THE OCCURRENCE. IMMEDIATELY AFTER THE CRASH, HE REPORTEDLY TOLD RESCUE PERSONNEL THAT HE HAD 'HIT A DOWNDRAFT.' ABOUT 6 MI FROM THE ACCIDENT SITE, THE 0955 EST ANDREWS AFB WX OBSERVATION REPORTED WINDS FROM 280 AT 20 GUSTING 26 KTS AND NOTED IN THE REMARKS THAT IT HAD BEEN 330 AT 30 KTS. AT 1019 EST, THE WIND WAS FROM 330 AT 29 KTS. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF THE PLT RECEIVING A WX BRIEFING WHILE PREPARING FOR THE FLT.
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: 590 hours in all; 302 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 548 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,012 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 25, 1983; 28 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DAN Danville VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 1,930 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 20 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 am from ADW, 6 miles away
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.