Piper PA-38-112 accident near Gingerville, Maryland, March 12, 1989
On March 12, 1989 at about 1:26 am local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N9378T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gingerville, Maryland. It was a personal 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 PILOT'S IMPROPER PLANNING AND DECISION MAKING EN ROUTE THAT RESULTED IN HIS FAILURE TO STOP AND REFUEL THE AIRPLANE AND FUEL EXHAUSTION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1989 · about 1:26 am local time
- Place
- Gingerville, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N9378T · no longer on the register · serial 38-78A0080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FLOWN FROM PITTSBURG, PA, TO CARROLLTON, OH, WHERE IT WAS TOPPED OFF WITH FUEL. THE PLT STATED THAT THE NEXT INTENDED STOP WAS ATLANTIC CITY, NJ, HOWEVER, THE PLT DECIDED EN ROUTE TO CONTINUE TO OCEAN CITY, NJ. AFTER PASSING WOODBINE, NJ, EN ROUTE TO OCEAN CITY, THE PLT DECIDED TO RETURN TO WOODBINE FOR FUEL. AFTER LANDING IT WAS DISCOVERED THAT THE AIRPORT WAS CLOSED AND FUEL WAS UNAVAILABLE. THE FLT WAS THEN CONTINUED TO THE FINAL DESTINATION OF COLLEGE PARK, MD. THE PLT FLEW TO ANNAPOLIS, MD. WHICH HE WAS USING AS A REFERENCE POINT THEN NORTHWEST TO COLLEGE PARK. UNABLE TO LOCATE COLLEGE PARK, THE PLT RETURNED TO ANNAPOLIS AND INFORMED ATC THAT HE WAS LOW ON FUEL. ATC ISSUED VECTORS TO NEARBY LEE AIRPORT, HOWEVER, FUEL EXHAUSTION OCCURRED PRIOR TO REACHING THE AIRPORT. THE ACFT CONTACTED POWER LINES, A CONCRETE MEDIAN BARRIER AND A VAN DURING THE FORCED LANDING ON ROUTE 2 SOUTH OF ANNAPOLIS.
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
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 135 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,091 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 20, 1989; 42 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1N4 Woodbine NJ
- Destination: CGS College Park MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 160° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.