Piper PA-44-180 accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, August 26, 2011
On August 26, 2011 at about 11:00 am local time, a Piper PA-44-180, registered N3020M, was substantially damaged in an accident during taxi (to runway) near Gaithersburg, Maryland (Montgomery County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to continue taxiing with restricted windshield visibility.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 2011 · about 11:00 am local time
- Place
- Gaithersburg, Maryland · Montgomery County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-44-180 · all PA-44-180s on the register
- Registration
- N3020M · registry record · serial 44-7995220
- 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 he was taxiing to the active runway for takeoff when the windshield became foggy and he missed the left turn to the runway. The airplane exited the taxiway onto a grassy area, the pilot then turned left, and the airplane slid down a hill. The airplane's right main landing gear collapsed, and the right wing impacted the ground, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot did not report any mechanical malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Miscellaneous/other during taxi (to runway)
- Loss of control on ground during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Ceiling/visibility/precip › Low visibility › Decision related to condition
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 96 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,607 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 11, 2011; 80 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming O-360 SER (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Washington Int'L Flight Academy, LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Destination: GAI Gaithersburg MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 14, 4,202 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 200 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 am from GAI
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3020M the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.