Beech D95A accident near Columbia, Maryland, May 28, 1982
On May 28, 1982 at about 2:58 pm local time, a Beech D95A, registered N187Q, was destroyed in an accident near Columbia, Maryland. It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 1982 · about 2:58 pm local time
- Place
- Columbia, Maryland
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Beech D95A · all D95As on the register
- Registration
- N187Q · no longer on the register · serial TD609
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS VECTORED TO INTERCEPT THE LOCALIZER COURSE FOR AN ILS APPROACH TO RWY 10 AT BALT-WASH-INTL ARPT. IT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO FLY THROUGH & TO THE NORTH OF THE LOCALIZER COURSE. THE ACFT WAS THEN DIRECTED TO TURN LEFT TO A HEADING OF 360 FOR RESEQUENCING, HOWEVER THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED MAKING A 360 TO THE RIGHT. THE ACFT WAS TRACKED BY THE RADAR COMPUTER IN A RIGHT TURN, COMPLETING ALMOST 360 DEG OF TURN WITH A STEADY GROUNDSPEED DECAY ACCOMPANIED BY ERRATICALTITUDE EXCURSIONS. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY AN ABRUPT COURSE REVERSAL, RAPID GROUNDSPEED DECAY, & CONTINUED ERRATIC ALTITUDE EXCURSIONS. THE ACFT CRASHED INTO A HOUSE IN A RESIDENTAL SECTION OF COLUMBIA IN AN INVERTED POSITION. THE ACFT'S AFT CG LIMIT WAS EXCEEDED. THIS WOULD RESULT IN A DETERIORATION OF THE ACFT'S DYNAMIC STABILITY WHICH WOULD PRODUCE EXAGGERATED ACFT REACTIONS TO OTHERWISE NORMAL CONTROL DISPLACEMENT INPUTS. THE PLT HAD NOT LOGGED ANY INSTRUMENT TIME OR INSTRUMENT APPROACHES DURING THE SIX MONTHS PRECEEDING THE ACCIDENT.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,134 hours in all; 15 in the last 90 days; 1,868 as pilot in command; 190 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,160 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-B1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVG Portsmouth VA at 9:40 am
- Destination: BW1 Baltimore MD
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 151°F (66°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from BW1
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.