Cessna 182J accident near Frederick, Maryland, August 1, 1990
On August 1, 1990 at about 12:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182J, registered N2891F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ASSURE THAT THE MAGNETO (IGNITION) SWITCH WAS IN THE PROPER POSITION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE MAGNETO SWITCH, WHICH ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED, THOUGH THE SWITCH WAS NOT IN THE 'OFF' POSITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 1990 · about 12:30 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182J · all 182Js on the register
- Registration
- N2891F · registry record · serial 18256991
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THE STARTER WOULD NO ROTATE THE ENGINE PAST THE FIRST POWER STROKE. HE DEPLANED & THE PASSENGER STAYED ABOARD. THE PLT STATED THAT THE MAG SWITCH, MASTER SWITCH, AND MIXTURE COUNTROL WERE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. HE ALSO REPORTED THE THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE POSITION & THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE MAG SWITCH. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE ENGINE PAST THE COMPRESSION STROKE BY TURNING THE PROPELLER. AS HE ROTATED THE PROPELLER, THE ENGINE STARTED. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, SHE PANICKED AND PROBABLY ADVANCED THE THROTTLE. THE ACFT THEN BEGAN MOVING & COLLIDED WITH TWO PARKED CARS. AN EXAM REVEALED THE IGNITION (MAG) KEY COULD BE REMOVED WITH THE MAG SWITCH IN ANY POSITION.
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: 1,232 hours in all; 726 in this make and model; 51 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,115 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,598 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 29, 1990; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO90DIG02.