Amateur-built DH-82A accident near Frederick, Maryland, May 9, 1993
On May 9, 1993 at about 4:30 pm local time, a amateur-built DH-82A, registered N28681, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frederick, Maryland. 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
INADEQUATE PREFLIGHT BY THE PILOT AND FUEL CONTAMINATION, WHICH RESULTED IN LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1993 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built DH-82A
- Registration
- N28681 · no longer on the register · serial PG 621-81
- 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 BOTH THE PREFLIGHT AND RUN UP INSPECTIONS WERE ACCOMPLISHED SUCCESSFULLY. DURING THE INITIAL CLIMB AT ABOUT 900 FEET ABOVE THE GROUND, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. HE REVERSED DIRECTION TO RETURN TO THE AIRPORT, BUT DECIDED TO LAND IN A FIELD. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE AIRPLANE STRUCK A TREE AND THE AIRPLANE FELL TO THE GROUND. EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM BY THE FAA REVEALED CONTAMINANTS CONSISTING OF DIRT AND WATER IN BOTH THE FUEL TANK AND GASCOLATOR. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION AND THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED IF THE CROSSWIND TURN WAS MADE SOONER, AND THE FUEL TANKS WERE COMPLETELY DRAINED PERIODICALLY.
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; instructor: glider; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,918 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 2,918 as pilot in command; 563 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rear
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,427 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 1992; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,825 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: De Havilland GYPSY MAJOR I (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N28681 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO93LA078.