Beech H35 accident near College Park, Maryland, February 19, 1990
On February 19, 1990 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Beech H35, registered N7958D, was substantially damaged in an accident near College Park, Maryland (College Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS. THE ADVERSE WIND WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1990 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- College Park, Maryland · College Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech H35 · all H35s on the register
- Registration
- N7958D · registry record · serial D-5217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH WITH 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS AND AN AIRSPEED OF 80 MPH, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT. THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES AND DESCENDED TO THE TERRAIN. THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED, LOCAL WINDS WERE SHIFTING FROM 290 DEGS TO 330 DEGS AT 20 GUSTING TO 30 KNOTS. THE APCH TO RWY 33 WAS OVER THE TREES & WAS KNOWN TO BE TURBULENT WHEN GUSTY WIND CONDITIONS EXISTED.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 983 hours in all; 734 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,254 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 17, 1989; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,910 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,740 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°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.