Piper PA-38-112 accident near Gaithersburg, Maryland, June 19, 2022
On June 19, 2022 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 1979 Piper PA-38-112, registered N2512N, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Gaithersburg, Maryland (Montgomery County Airpark 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain control during the landing flare in gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 19, 2022 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Gaithersburg, Maryland · Montgomery County Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112, built 1979 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2512N · registry record · serial 38-79A0856
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing the airplane in gusting wind conditions. He reported that during the landing flare he encountered wind shear that pushed the airplane down and to the right. The airplane landed hard on the grass adjacent to the right of the runway. At 1156, the recorded weather at GAI included wind from 300° magnetic at 11 knots, gusting to 21 knots, and the pilot landed on runway 32. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the main landing gear and engine cowling. The pilot reported no preaccident 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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Contributed to outcome
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 271 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 207 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 23, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot-Rated Passenger
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,150.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 3, 2021; 267.1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 2,436 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 4,202 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 11 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.11 inHg
- Observation at 11:56 am from GAI
Weather report (METAR): KGAI 191556Z AUTO 30011G21KT 270V010 10SM CLR 20/07 A3011 RMK AO2 SLP206 T02000067
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA22LA286.