Cessna 172I accident near Fort Washington, Maryland, February 26, 1989
On February 26, 1989 at about 1:35 am local time, a Cessna 172I, registered N8359L, was involved in an accident near Fort Washington, Maryland (Potomac Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PASSENGER FAILED TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE CLEARANCE FROM THE PROPELLER AS SHE ATTEMPTED TO BOARD THE AIRCRAFT. BOTH THE PILOT FAILURE TO SUPERVISE THE BOARDING OF THE PASSENGER AND THE NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS ARE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS TO THE ACCIDENT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 1989 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Fort Washington, Maryland · Potomac Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172I · all 172Is on the register
- Registration
- N8359L · registry record · serial 17256559
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS STOPPED ON THE RAMP WITH THE PLT ABOARD. THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING. THE PAX CROSSED IN FRONT OF THE ACFT AND WALKED TOWARD THE RIGHT DOOR TO BOARD THE ACFT. WHEN SHE PASSED THE PROP SHE WAS STRUCK BY IT. THE EXTENT OF HER INJURIES WERE NOT REALIZED UNTIL SHE BOARDED SINCE ACCORDING TO THE PLT, THE PAX SAID SHE WAS JUST GRAZED BY THE PROP.
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: multi-engine sea; single-engine land
- Flight time: 425 hours in all; 326 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 344 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,792 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 5, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.