Eipper QUICKSILVER MXL II accident near Parkton, Maryland, November 17, 1985
On November 17, 1985 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Eipper QUICKSILVER MXL II, registered N401WA, was destroyed in an accident near Parkton, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 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
- November 17, 1985 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Parkton, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Eipper QUICKSILVER MXL II QUICKSILVE
- Registration
- N401WA · no longer on the register · serial 1027
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES IN THE AREA OBSERVED THE VEHICLE FLYING IN THE LOCAL AREA AT OTHER TIMES HOWEVER THIS WAS THE FIRST TIME THEY HAD SEEN TWO PEOPLE IN IT. THEY ALSO OBSERVED THE VEHICLE FLYING ERRATICALLY AFTER LIFTOFF AND NOTED THAT THE WINDS WERE GUSTY. UPON RETURNING FOR LANDING THE VEHICLE WAS NOTED TO DESCEND OVER A SET OF HIGH TENSION WIRES INTO A SLOPING GRASS COVERED FIELD ABOUT 600 FEET LONG WHICH ROSE AT THE OPPOSITE END. IT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO ATTEMPT TO CLIMB UP ABOVE THE RISING TERRAIN AND COLLIDE WITH A TREE ABOUT 30 FEET HIGH LOCATED NEXT TO THE LEFT REAR CORNER OF A HOUSE. THE OWNER OF THE RESIDENCE OBSERVED AND HEARD THE ENGINE RUN A A CONSTANT PITCH UP UNTIL IMPACT WITH THE TREE. THE STUDENT-PILOT HAD BEEN WARNED BY PERSONNEL REPRESENTING THE COMPANY WHO HE HAD PURCHASED THE MXL II FROM THAT THE ABOVE MENTIONED FIELD WAS UNSAFE TO FLY OUT OF.
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: student
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 720 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Bombardier GMBH 503 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Parkton MD
- Destination: Parkton MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:52 pm from BWI, 32 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.