Piper PA-30 accident near Bowleys Qrtrs, Maryland, August 17, 1986
On August 17, 1986 at about 10:52 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N31AB, was destroyed in an accident near Bowleys Qrtrs, Maryland (Glenn L. Martin State airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- August 17, 1986 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Bowleys Qrtrs, Maryland · Glenn L. Martin State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N31AB · registry record · serial 30-743
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG ARR, TRACON GAVE THE PLT THE ARPT WX & PROVIDED VECTORS FOR AN ILS RWY 32 APCH. THE PLT INQUIRED ABOUT A CELL THAT HE UNDERSTOOD WAS OVER THE ARPT & WAS ADVISED TO STANDBY WHILE THE CONTROLLER (CTLR) CHECKED ON IT. THE CTLR CONTACTED TWR PSNL WHO ADZD THE VIS WAS 1 MI IN HVY RAIN, BUT THE PLT WAS GIVEN A FREQ CHG BFR THE INFO WAS PASSED ON TO HIM. HOW-EVER, THE FINAL CTLR ADZD HIM OF THE CELL WHICH WAS OVR THE NDB. THE NDB WAS 1.6 MI FM RWY 32, ALONG THE ILS COURSE. THEPLT ELECTED TO CONT THE APCH & WAS CLRD TO TWR FREQ. AS THE ACFT APCHD THE NDB, RADAR SHOWED IT WAS OFF COURSE. THE TWR CTLR TRIED TO GIVE THE PLT CLIMB-OUT INSTRNS, BUT THE PLT DECLINED THEM & SAID HE WAS HAVING TROUBLE CTLG THE ACFT. THE PLT'S LAST TRANSMISSION WAS TO ACKNOWLEDGE HE WOULD TURN 180 DEG TO ABANDON THE APCH. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT COME OUT OF CLOUDS IN A STEEP DIVE & CRASH ABOUT 1 MI FM THE ARPT IN 10' TO 15' OF WATER BFR RECOVERING. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEMS WERE FND. A WX STUDY SHOWED CLOUD BASES AT 700' & WX ECHOS OF AT LEAST MOD INTENSITY (VIP LVL 2).
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,151 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 1986; 45 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320-B1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC at 7:58 pm
- Destination: MTN Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 8,100 ft by 180 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; not recorded at 700 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 pm from BWI, 16 miles away
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.
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.