Beech C35 accident near Forest Hill, Maryland, September 8, 1990
On September 8, 1990 at about 11:31 pm local time, a Beech C35, registered N1540V, was destroyed in an accident near Forest Hill, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE TURN FROM BASE TO FINAL APPROACH. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S ABRUPT AIRCRAFT HANDLING DURING THE TURN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1990 · about 11:31 pm local time
- Place
- Forest Hill, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech C35 · all C35s on the register
- Registration
- N1540V · no longer on the register · serial D-2886
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THEY OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE AS IT MANEUVERED IN THE VICINITY OF THE AIRPORT. THEY SAW THE AIRPLANE LINE UP WITH A ROAD LOCATED SOUTH OF AND ALMOST PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY AT THE DESTINATION AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE MADE A DESCENT AS IF APPROACHING TO LAND, THEN CLIMBED OUT AND CIRCLED AROUND TO LINE UP WITH THE ROAD AGAIN. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE ENTERED A STEEP (ESTIMATED 90 DEGREES) LEFT BANK, THEN STALLED AND FELL TO THE GROUND. REVIEW OF AIR TRAFFIC CONTROL (ATC) TAPES/TRANSCRIPTS REVEALED THAT THE PILOT HAD RECEIVED RADAR ASSISTANCE TO HIS DESTINATION AIRPORT. APPROXIMATELY 6 MINUTES BEFORE HE CRASHED, THE 69 YEAR OLD PILOT STATED 'I THINK I GOT IT NOW...AH, THERE'S A COUPLE OF CARS ON THE RUNWAY...IS THAT THE RUNWAY THERE ON MY LEFT?' ATC REPEATED RUNWAY INFORMATION, INFORMED THE PILOT HE HAD NO CONTROL OVER THE CARS, AND APPROVED A FREQUENCY CHANGE.
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: 3,150 hours in all; 25 in the last 90 days; 3,050 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-225-8 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: BWI Baltimore MD at 10:59 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 080° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.