Cessna 170B accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia, September 22, 1993
On September 22, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8081A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Martinsburg, West Virginia (Eastern West Va. Regional 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 FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 12, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 22, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time · cases in 1993
- Place
- Martinsburg, West Virginia · Eastern West Va. Regional · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8081A · registry record · serial 20933
- 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 DURING THE LANDING ROLLOUT, THE RIGHT WING OF THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO RISE. THE PILOT SAID HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT WITH RIGHT AILERON AND RUDDER, BUT TO NO AVAIL. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE GROUND AND THE AIRPLANE GROUNDLOOPED TO THE LEFT. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE RIGHT WING WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS WERE REPORTED. THE WIND WAS REPORTED AS FIVE KNOTS FROM 360 DEGREES MAGNETIC.
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: 756 hours in all; 26 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 654 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,102 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 1993; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Armel Aviation, LTD
The flight
- Departed from: IAD Dulles Airport DC at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 7,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; scat at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:30 pm from MRB
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N8081A on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 170 2,085 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,684 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Continental O-300-A 15 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Eastern WV Rgnl/Shepherd Field · nearest airport
- Washington Dulles International · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in West Virginia 423 since 1982 · 53 in the last ten years
- West Virginia 886 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/BFO93LA183.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.