Cessna 150E accident near Clinton, Maryland, September 18, 1985
On September 18, 1985 at about 9:50 pm local time, a Cessna 150E, registered N3518J, was destroyed in an accident near Clinton, Maryland (Hyde Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- September 18, 1985 · about 9:50 pm local time
- Place
- Clinton, Maryland · Hyde Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 150E · all 150Es on the register
- Registration
- N3518J · registry record · serial 15061218
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT STATED THAT ON INITIAL CLIMB FROM A NORMAL TAKEOFF, A PARTIAL ENGINE PWR LOSS WAS EXPERIENCED. CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE WAS LOST WHILE MANEUVERING FOR A SUITABLE FORCED LANDING AREA. A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR THAT WITNESSED THE TAKEOFF STATED THAT IT APPEARED TO BE A SIMULATED SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF WITH A HIGH CLIMB RATE ESTABLISHED AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. HE STATED THAT THE A/C PITCHED FURTHER UP 200-300 AGL AND THEN ENTERED A LEFT SPIN. NO MECHANICAL IRREGULARITIES WERE FOUND DURING ENGINE DISASSEMBLY EXCEPT FOR ONE BKN COMPRESSION RING ON EACH OF PISTONS 1, 3, AND 4. RING GROOVE WEAR INDICATED THAT THIS CONDITION HAD EXISTED FOR A PERIOD OF TIME. COCKPIT ODCUMENTATION REVEALED THAT THE PRIMER WAS UNLOCKED AND HAD BACKED SLIGHTLY OUT OF ITS STOWED POSITION.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,060 hours in all; 230 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 4,850 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,611 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1985; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 2,820 ft by 30 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from ADW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.