Orlican L60 accident near Frederick, Maryland, February 21, 2020
On February 21, 2020 at about 5:15 pm local time, a 1958 Orlican L60, registered N71GC, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick Muni 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 failure to maintain airplane control during the approach, which resulted in the airplane ballooning and then veering left upon landing and the right wing impacting the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2020 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Orlican L60 SF, built 1958
- Registration
- N71GC · registry record · serial 150827
- 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 practicing landings as part of a check-out flight. During the final approach, the airplane ballooned slightly, which the pilot attributed to a wind gust. He flared the balloon and then touched down, and the airplane began to veer left. He attempted to correct with full right rudder, right brake, and left aileron. As the airplane came to a stop on the runway, the right main landing gear buckled, and the right wing struck the runway. The airport's automated weather observation station reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was calm; however, the pilot reported that, after he egressed from the airplane, he saw that the windsock indicated a crosswind. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or 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
- Other weather encounter during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Not specified
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,024 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,003 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 4, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,925 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 17, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,492 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Walter M462RF (piston); 3,572 hours total
- Operator: Deutsch American Trading Llc
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Frederick MD at 4:45 pm
- Destination: FDK Frederick MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 05, 5,219 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 9°F (-13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.54 inHg
- Observation at 5:23 pm from FDK
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 16, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.