Cessna 525 accident near Middle River, Maryland, March 7, 2022
On March 7, 2022 at about 3:45 pm local time, a 2009 Cessna 525, registered N22AU, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Middle River, Maryland (Martin State airport). It was a positioning flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 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
And undetermined failure of the brake system. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the pilots to locate and operate the emergency brake control, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with terrain and an object.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2022 · about 3:45 pm local time
- Place
- Middle River, Maryland · Martin State · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 525 B, built 2009 · all 525s on the register
- Registration
- N22AU · no longer on the register · serial 525B0304
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight crew reported they flew a normal flight and a stabilized approach in gusty wind conditions. Performance data indicated they would require about 3,000 ft of runway for landing on the 6,995 ft long runway, and they added 5 knots (kts) to the approach speed due to the gusts. Data indicated that the airplane landed in the touchdown zone and at an appropriate airspeed of 110 kts (104 kts groundspeed); however, the pilot’s and co-pilot’s application of brakes was unsuccessful in achieving sufficient braking action. The airplane departed the runway at a groundspeed of 58 kts and came to rest against a perimeter fence 450 ft past the runway. A witness stated the airplane landed long; however, his distance from the runway and his angle of view of the airplane may have prevented an accurate assessment. Although the airplane flight manual states that if the brake system or antiskid fails, the pilot(s) are to attempt to pull the emergency brake, the pilots were unable to locate the emergency brake and instead pulled the parking brake. Although an examination of the braking system failed to find an anomaly, a performance study revealed that during the ground rollout the deceleration was primarily due to aerodynamic drag and free rolling “unbraked” wheel friction for about 5,000 ft and that there was virtually no evidence of deceleration due to hydraulic or pneumatic wheel braking during the rollout. However, the pilots’ inability to locate and use the emergency brake contributed to the insufficient braking. The crew failed to immediately recognize the issue and locate and utilize the emergency brake for supplemental braking authority.
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
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Hydraulic power system › (general) › Failure
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of equip/system › Flight crew
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Pneumatic system › Pneumatic distribution system › Not used/operated
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Identification/recognition › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,789 hours in all; 248 in this make and model; 95 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 1,151 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 9, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,505 hours in all; 115 in this make and model; 102 in the last 90 days; 26 in the last 30 days; 5,933 as pilot in command; 3,774 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 9, 2021
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,669 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 6, 2022; 277 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 14,070 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Williams FJ44-3A (turbofan); 3,669 hours total
- Engine 2: Williams FJ44-3A (turbofan); 3,669 hours total
- Operator: Executive Flight Services LLC
The flight
- Departed from: IAD Dulles VA at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 15, 6,997 ft by 180 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 12 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.79 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from MTN, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMTN 071553Z 210012G21KT 10SM CLR 23/13 A2979
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
16 documents, released by the NTSB on March 20, 2024. 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.
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.