Piper PA-28-140 accident near Lusby, Maryland, May 26, 1990
On May 26, 1990, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N43078, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lusby, Maryland (Chesapeake Ranch airport). 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 MISJUDGED THE DISTANCE NEEDED TO TOUCHDOWN AND STOP HIS AIRCRAFT BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT FAILED TO USE ALL OF THE AVAILABLE RUNWAY DURING THE LANDING SEQUENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 1990
- Place
- Lusby, Maryland · Chesapeake Ranch · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N43078 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7425332
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT INADVERTENTLY LANDED AT AN UNLIT PRIVATE AIRPORT AFTER ENCOUNTERING DETERIORATING WEATHER. LIGHT RAIN HAD JUST BEGUN TO FALL AND DUSK LIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED AT THE TIME HE TOUCHED DOWN. THE PILOT STATED THAT THERE WERE TREES AT THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AND HE INTENTIONALLY LANDED LONG IN ORDER TO CLEAR THEM. WHEN HE APPLIED BRAKES, THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO STOP BEFORE GOING OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND DOWN AN EMBANKMENT.
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: 381 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FRG Farmingdale NY at 10:00 pm
- Destination: CRE Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 2,500 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N43078 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.