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).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 3, 1986 · about 7:50 pm local time · cases in 1986
- Place
- Patuxent River, Maryland · Nas Patuxent River · cases near this airport · 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 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N662 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Beechcraft D-45 75 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Beechcraft 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-470-4 2 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Patuxent River Naval Air Station (Trapnell Field) · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Maryland 837 since 1982 · 111 in the last ten years
- Maryland 2,348 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/BFO87LA002.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.