Beech D-45 (T-34B) accident near Patuxent River, Maryland, October 3, 1986
On October 3, 1986 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Beech D-45 (T-34B), registered N662, was substantially damaged in an accident near Patuxent River, Maryland (Nas Patuxent River airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1986 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Patuxent River, Maryland · Nas Patuxent River · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D-45 (T-34B) D-45 (T-34 · all D-45 (T-34B)s on the register
- Registration
- N662 · registry record · serial BG302
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLT. WAS TO CHECK OUT THE 11800 HOUR FORMER NAVAL AVIATOR WHO STATED HE HAD PREVIOUS EXPERIENCE IN T-34B'S. THE CFI, WHO HAD OVER 3000 HOURS, 173 IN MAKE AND MODEL BUT LESS AS AN INSTRUCTOR, STATED HE BRIEFED THE STUDENT ON PROCEDURES AND AIRCRAFT SPEEDS BEFORE THE FLIGHT BUT HAD NEVER PRACTICED CHANGE OF CONTROL COORDINATION WITH HIM. AFTER LIFTOFF THE CFI NOTED THE AIRCRAFT CLIMB AT A STEEPER ANGLE THAN NORMAL AND AT AN AIRSPEED BELOW 70 KNOTS. AS THEY CLIMBED THROUGH 400-500 FEET HE NOTICED A PRE-STALL BUFFET WHICH CONTINUED AS THE RED STALL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON AND HE ATTEMPTED TO TAKE THE CONTROLS. HE IMMEDIATELY RETRACTED THE GEAR BUT AFTER NOTICING THAT THE STUDENT FAILED TO RELEASE THE CONTROLS AND A FULL STALL CONDITION EXISTED, HE LOWERED THEM BEFORE CONTACTING THE GROUND.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,012 hours in all; 173 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 2,739 as pilot in command; 852 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,185 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 20, 1986; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,985 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental O-470-4 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Patuxent Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 2, 6,410 ft by 300 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from NHK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO87LA002.