Piper PA-28RT-201 accident near Frederick, Maryland, October 21, 1988
On October 21, 1988 at about 9:53 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201, registered N8291Z, was destroyed in an accident near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
NONSUBMITTED
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 1988 · about 9:53 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201 PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201s on the register
- Registration
- N8291Z · no longer on the register · serial 28R-8118022
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG ARR, DULLES APCH CTL (IAD) CLRD FLT TO FREDERICK TVOR (FDK) AT 4000' & TRMTD RADAR CTL WITH HANDOFF TO BALTIMORE APCH CTL (BWI). FLT WAS CLRD FOR ILS RWY 23 APCH & TOLD TO RPRT IBND ON APCH. PROC FOR APCH WAS TO FLY OBND ON FDK 048 DEG RADIAL TO RICKE INT/OM, MAKE PROC TURN (MIN ALT 2300'), RTRN TO OM ON ILS COURSE (HDG 229 DEG, MIN ALT 1600') & INTERCEPT GLIDE PATH. HOWEVER, FLT DEPD FDK ON NORTHERLY & SOMEWHAT ERRATIC COURSE. BWI DID NOT HAVE POSITIVE RADAR CTC (RCVD ONLY 2 RTRNS DRG ARR & NO RTRNS BLO 3800'). ABEAM RICKE INT/OM, ACFT MNVRD (AS IF IN A PROC TURN). AS IT WAS TURNING BACK TWD FDK, PLT RPRTD 'PROC TURN IBND, RWY 23' & WAS CLRD TO ADZY FREQ (NO FURTHER RDO CTC WITH ACFT). ACFT THEN TURNED WEST. AFTER MNVRG ABT 8 MIN, IT HIT MTS ABT 7 MI NW OF ARPT (ELEV 1700') ON HDG TWD FDK. IAD HAD RADAR CTC &MIN SAFE ALT WARNING (MSAW) OCCURRED BFR ACDNT. IAD CTLR DIDN'T TRY ALERTING BWI OR PLT, BUT MSAW WAS AFTER PLT WAS CLRDTO ADZY FREQ. CANCELED NOTAM STILL ISSUED AS ACTIVE, BUT FDK WAS PLT'S HOME BASE.
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: 348 hours in all; 348 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 280 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,049 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 6, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SDF Louisville KY at 6:50 pm
- Destination: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 5,220 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 6 knots
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:48 pm from MRB, 28 miles away
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.