Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Mount Pleasant, Maryland, October 26, 1986
On October 26, 1986 at about 11:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N4347X, was destroyed in an accident near Mount Pleasant, Maryland (Frederick airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- October 26, 1986 · about 11:35 pm local time
- Place
- Mount Pleasant, Maryland · Frederick · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4347X · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7535383
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON THE SECOND APCH ATTEMPT FOR ILS RWY 23 WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED- ON THE FIRST ATTEMPT THE PILOT FLEW OUTBOUND INSTEAD OF INBOUND ON THE LOCALIZER COURSE. FOR THE SECOND ATTEMPT THE PILOT WAS CLEARED FOR A FULL APCH FOR ILS RWY 23; WHICH REQUIRED A PROCEDURE TURN. THE PILOT LAST POSITION REPORT WAS INBOUND ON THE LOCALIZER COURSE. SHORTLY AFTERWARDS, THE PILOT WAS CLEARED TO SWITCH OVER TO THE AIRPORT UNICOM FREQ. RADAR DATA ON THE ACFT SHOWS THAT THE ACFT REACHED OVER THE O/M AND BEGAN TO FLY TOWARD THE WEST. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND ON A SOUTHWEST HEADING ABOUT 1 MI EAST OF THE O/M. THE PILOT HAD INSTRUMENT FLIGHT RECENCY; HOWEVER HC HAD NO NIGHT FLIGHT TIME FOR AT LEAST 2.5 YRS. THERE WAS NO PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT OR INCAPACITATION OF THE PILOT DISCLOSED. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT DID NOT DISCLOSE MALFUNCTION. SATISFACTORY OPERATION OF THE ILS WAS CONFIRMED. A PILOT WHO LANDED AT THE ARPT JUST BEFORE THE ACCIDENT REPORTED CLOUDS CEILING AS 650 FT MSL AND VISIBILITY AS 2 MLS.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,100 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,288 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1986; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAG Niagara Falls NY at 8:57 pm
- Destination: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Wind: from 330° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 650 ft; not recorded at 650 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.