Cessna 172M accident near Eldersburg, Maryland, April 7, 1995
On April 7, 1995 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N20819, was destroyed in an accident near Eldersburg, Maryland (Hoby Wolf airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN PROPER AIRSPEED. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO REMOVE CARBURETOR HEAT DURING THE GO-AROUND AND THE PRESENCE OF A TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1995 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Eldersburg, Maryland · Hoby Wolf · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N20819 · no longer on the register · serial 172-63846
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A GO-AROUND, THE AIRPLANE WAS INADVERTENTLY STALLED. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE HAD JUST CLEARED POWERLINES WHEN ITS LEFT WING DROPPED DOWN. THE WITNESSES STATED THE AIRPLANE TURNED LEFT AND DESCENDED TO THE GROUND. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRFRAME AND ENGINE REVEALED NO ANOMALIES. THE AIRPLANE'S FLAPS WERE EXTENDED 16 DEGREES. CARBURETOR HEAT WAS APPLIED REDUCING THE AIRPLANE'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE ABOUT 143 FEET PER MINUTE. A NON CERTIFICATED PROPELLER WAS INSTALLED ON THE AIRPLANE REDUCING THE AIRPLANE'S CLIMB PERFORMANCE ABOUT 60 FEET PER MINUTE. A TAILWIND OF ABOUT 5 TO 7 KNOTS WAS PRESENT. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, THE AIRPLANE'S GROSS WEIGHT WAS ABOUT 2,149 POUNDS. THE AIRPLANE'S MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT WAS 2,300 POUNDS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,066 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 30, 1995; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Jd Kreis Aviation Incorporated
The flight
- Departed from: MD24 Clarksville MD at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 1,940 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from BWI, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.