Cessna 182 accident near Millington, Maryland, August 30, 2020
On August 30, 2020 at about 6:56 pm local time, a 1963 Cessna 182, registered N3707U, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Millington, Maryland (Massey Aerodrome airport). It was a glider-towing flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s misidentification of a corn field for the destination airport’s runway, and a subsequent aerodynamic stall at low altitude while attempting to land.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 30, 2020 · about 6:56 pm local time
- Place
- Millington, Maryland · Massey Aerodrome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 G, built 1963 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N3707U · no longer on the register · serial 18255107
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Glider-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After a successful glider release, the pilot of the tow airplane was attempting to return to the turf runway at the departure airport. The pilot stated that he had difficulty locating the runway amongst the nearby corn fields and mistakenly aligned the airplane to land on a long swath of corn. During the landing attempt, and just as the pilot realized that the airplane was over corn and not the runway, the airplane “stalled” and impacted the ground. The airplane’s fuselage and wings were substantially damaged. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures of 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
- Wrong surface or wrong airport during maneuvering defining event
- Loss of control in flight during landing
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Perception/orientation/illusion › Geographic disorient (lost) › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 800 hours in all; 76.6 in this make and model; 4.1 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: September 7, 2019
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (waiver time limited special)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,328 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 2020; 975 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,348 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 R SERIE (piston); 5,328 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MD1 Millington MD at 6:10 pm
- Destination: MD1 Millington MD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 80°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on April 19, 2021. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot's Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 5 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.