Piper PA-24-250 accident near Hagerstown, Maryland, March 7, 1991
On March 7, 1991 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N6699P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hagerstown, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FAILURE OF THE THROTTLE CONTROL CABLE. A FACTOR WS THE ROUGH TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 1991 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Hagerstown, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6699P · no longer on the register · serial 24-18-25
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE THROTTLE CABLE FRACTURED AND THE ENGINE POWER REDUCED TO IDLE. HE WAS FLYING IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AT THE TIME, AND HE WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE RUNWAY. THE ACFT CRASHED ABOUT 100 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE FRACTURE SURFACES OF THE STRAND SHOWED EVIDENCE OF CUT MARKS.
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: 330 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 278 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 16, 1990; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W35 Berkeley Spring WV at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:50 pm from HGR, 1 miles away
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.