Cessna 182P accident near Frederick, Maryland, June 24, 1995
On June 24, 1995, a Cessna 182P, registered N1284S, was destroyed in an accident near Frederick, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's continued flight into known adverse weather during descent, which resulted in in-flight collision with terrain. Related factors were the pilot's disregard of a hazardous weather advisory, and the low ceilings, fog and drizzle.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 24, 1995
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N1284S · no longer on the register · serial 18264852
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot received two preflight weather briefings that indicated the weather en route was IFR, and that flight precautions existed along his route of flight. He was advised that VFR flight was not recommended. The airplane collided with trees in mountainous terrain and was destroyed by fire. According to FAA records, the pilot reported that he saw the ground through a hole in the clouds, and requested a descent. He was told that the minimum vector altitude west of his destination was 4000 feet MSL due to high terrain. Postaccident examination of the aircraft revealed no evidence of mechanical malfunction. The pilot was not instrument rated for airplanes. He possessed an instrument rating for helicopters.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 253 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-S (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RIC Richmond VA at 10:54 pm
- Destination: 2W2 Clearview MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
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.