Piper PA-28-181 accident near Laurel, Maryland, November 5, 1989
On November 5, 1989 at about 7:19 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N47759, was substantially damaged in an accident near Laurel, 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
LOST OF ENGINE POWER CAUSED BY MATERIAL FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER EXHAUST VALVE. THE FAILURE WAS ATTRIBUTED TO EXCESSIVE TEMPERATURE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 5, 1989 · about 7:19 pm local time
- Place
- Laurel, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N47759 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7890133
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ACFT LEVELED AT 1500 FT MSL WHERE THE PLT SET POWER AT 2450 RPM. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, SHORTLY AFTERWARD A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED. THE PLT UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO REGAIN POWER. HE TURNED BACK TO THE DEPARTURE ARPT AND HE DID A GO-AROUND WHEN THE FIRST APCH WAS TOO HIGH. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AS HE CIRCLED TO LAND MORE POWER LOSS OCCURRED AND HE WAS UNABLE TO CONTINUE THE FLIGHT. THE PLT MADE A FORCED LANDING ON A HIGHWAY, STRIKING A GUY WIRE DURING THE APCH. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THE NUMBER THREE CYL EXHAUST VALVE HEAD SEPARATED. FRAGMENTS OF THE VALVE HEAD WERE FOUND INSIDE THE NUMBER TWO CYL. METALLURGICAL EXAM OF THE VALVE HEAD REVEALED IT WAS EXPOSED TO ABOVE NORMAL TEMP AND THE FRACTURE WAS CONSISTENT WITH OVERSTRESS.
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 land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 390 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 279 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,255 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 21, 1989; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: ROA Roanoke VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,400 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from BWI, 10 miles away
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.