Cessna 152 accident near Walkersville, Maryland, November 11, 1993
On November 11, 1993, a Cessna 152, registered N47456, was destroyed in an accident near Walkersville, Maryland. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT (CFI) BY TEACHING STALLS AND SLOW FLIGHT TO A PRE-SOLO STUDENT ON A DARK NIGHT, AND THE INSTRUCTOR'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN (OR REGAIN) CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE, DUE TO SPATIAL DISORIENTATION. FACTOR'S RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: THE CFI'S LACK OF EXPERIENCE IN THE TYPE OF OPERATION, AND DARKNESS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 11, 1993
- Place
- Walkersville, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N47456 · no longer on the register · serial 15283228
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE INSTRUCTOR (CFI) AND STUDENT PILOT DEPARTED ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT DURING A DARK NIGHT TO PRACTICE STALLS AND SLOW FLIGHT. ABOUT 15 MINUTES LATER, WITNESSES REPORTED SEEING A LIGHT DESCENDING TO THE GROUND AT A 'STEEP ANGLE' AND HEARING AN IMPACT. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED AN OPEN FIELD IN A NOSE-DOWN, INVERTED ATTITUDE. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY PREIMPACT MECHANICAL DEFICIENCY. ALTHOUGH THE FLAP ACTUATOR WAS FOUND IN A FULLY EXTENDED POSITION, THERE WAS EVIDENCE OF A HIGH SPEED IMPACT. DURING IMPACT, THE AIRPLANE WAS EXTENSIVELY DAMAGED, AND THE ENGINE AND PROPELLER WERE COMPLETELY IMBEDDED IN THE GROUND. AN EXAM OF THE RECORDS INDICATED THAT THE CFI HAD LOGGED 4 HOURS OF NIGHT FLIGHT INSTRUCTION TIME BEFORE THE ACCIDENT AND 66 HOURS OF TOTAL INSTRUCTION TIME. THE ACCIDENT FLIGHT WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S FIFTH FLIGHT; HIS FIRST TWO FLIGHTS WERE ALSO PARTIALLY CONDUCTED AT NIGHT BY THE CFI. THE STUDENT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 4.5 HOURS (ALL DUAL INSTRUCTION).
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: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 373 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 34 in the last 30 days; 267 as pilot in command; 66 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,093 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 15, 1993; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Control Aero Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Frederick MD
- Destination: FDK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Observation at 2:00 am from FDK, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.