Cessna 172P accident near Accokeek, Maryland, March 19, 1992
On March 19, 1992 at about 3:17 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65737, was destroyed in an accident near Accokeek, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT EXPERIENCED SPATIAL DISORIENTATION WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 1992 · about 3:17 pm local time
- Place
- Accokeek, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65737 · no longer on the register · serial 17275843
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON AN ILS APPROACH TO RUNWAY 36, THE AIRPLANE DISAPPEARED OFF RADAR AT 2,500 FT MSL ABOUT 12 NAUTICAL MILES SOUTH OF THE AIRPORT. DURING THE APPROACH, THE AIRPLANE WAS WEST OF THE LOCALIZER AND WAS BEING VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER. A COMPLETE LEFT 360 DEGREE TURN WAS MADE AT THE REQUEST OF APPROACH CONTROL (ARR). THE PILOT WAS THEN CLEARED TO THE ILS OUTER MARKER. UPON ARRIVAL TO THE OUTER MARKER THE PILOT WAS TOLD TO CONTACT THE LOCAL CONTROLLER (LC). BEFORE INTERCEPTING THE LOCALIZER, THE AIRPLANE STARTED AN APPROXIMATE 9.5 DEGREE LEFT TURN AWAY FROM THE LOCALIZER. DURING THIS TURN, ARR QUERIED THE PILOT ABOUT THE AIRPLANE'S HEADING. THERE WAS NO RESPONSE. THE LC BROADCASTED TO THE AIRPLANE AND REQUESTED THE PILOT TO SWITCH BACK TO ARR. THE PAX ACKNOWLEDGED THE REQUEST. THERE WERE NO FURTHER TRANSMISSIONS BY THE PILOT OR PAX. THE INVESTIGATION DID NOT DISCLOSE ANY EVIDENCE OF STRUCTURAL, INSTRUMENT, OR ENGINE FAILURE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 937 hours in all; 168 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 802 as pilot in command; 736 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,979 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 7, 1992; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Flight International Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA at 2:00 pm
- Destination: DCA Washington DC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 37°F (3°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from DCA, 12 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.