Smith MINIPLANE incident near Cumberland, Maryland, July 30, 1989
On July 30, 1989 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Smith MINIPLANE, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N4655Y, was substantially damaged in an incident near Cumberland, Maryland (Mexico Farms airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING HIGH SPEED TAXI TESTS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1989 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Cumberland, Maryland · Mexico Farms · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith MINIPLANE, amateur-built · all MINIPLANEs on the register
- Registration
- N4655Y · registry record · serial 1001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS MAKING A HIGH SPEED TAXI RUN, WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HE REPORTED HAVING DIFFICULTY STEERING THE ACFT AS HE WAS TAXIING DOWN THE RWY. CONTROL OF THE ACFT WAS LOST AND IT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY INTO A WOODED AREA. INSPECTION OF THE ACFT FAILED TO REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE LANDING GEAR AND/OR ACFT STEERING.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 17,060 hours in all; 72 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 62 hours since
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 2,180 ft by 250 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.