Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Camp Springs, Maryland, April 14, 1986
On April 14, 1986 at about 11:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N32613, was substantially damaged in an accident near Camp Springs, Maryland (Andrews Afb airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 14, 1986 · about 11:13 pm local time
- Place
- Camp Springs, Maryland · Andrews Afb
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N32613 · registry record · serial 28R-7535072
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A FLT TO PREPARE THE STUDENT FOR A CFI CHECK RIDE, BOTH THE STUDENT AND THE CFI COULD NOT OBTAIN A GREEN LIGHT CONFIRMING THE NOSE GEAR WAS DOWN AND LOCKED. AFTER NUMEROUS ATTEMPTS TO ASSURE IT WAS DOWN AND LOCKED THE ACFT WAS LANDED AT ANDREWS AFB. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED ON LANDING AND THE ACFT SLID OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. EXAMINATION REVEALED A SKEWED WEAR PATTERN DEEP WITHIN THE SLOT OF THE NOSE GEAR ALIGNER GUIDE. THE ENTIRE SLOT WAS FOUND TWISTED IN A DIRECTION CONSISTENT WITH DEFORMATION AT ITS UPPER END OF ONE OF THE GUIDE WALLS. THE EXTERIOR SURFACE OF THE SLOT WALL WHICH CONTAINED THE DEFORMATION AT ITS UPPER END REVEALED MARKS CONSISTENT WITH SHORT TERM CONTACT WITH THE ALIGNMENT BUSHING WHICH NORMALLY RIDES WITHIN THE SLOT. IF THE BUSHING DID NOT ALIGN WITH ITS GUIDE DURING RETRACTION AND BENT ONE OF THE GUIDE WALLS IT MAY CAUSE THE GEAR TO FAIL TO FULLY EXTEND.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 920 hours in all; 190 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 48 in the last 30 days; 690 as pilot in command; 531 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,417 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 6, 1986; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Andrews Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: ANP Annapolis MD at 9:30 pm
- Runway 19, 9,855 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:14 pm from ADW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.