Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 EAGLET accident near Cambridge, Maryland, March 19, 2015
On March 19, 2015 at about 9:30 pm local time, a 2008 Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 EAGLET, registered N731HG, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Cambridge, Maryland (Cambridge-Dorchester airport). It was a personal 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 failure to maintain directional control during takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 19, 2015 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cambridge, Maryland · Cambridge-Dorchester · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P92 EAGLET NO SERIES, built 2008 · all P92 EAGLETs on the register
- Registration
- N731HG · registry record · serial 1208
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross country flight, the sport pilot attempted a soft field takeoff at an intermediate stop on the flight. On the takeoff roll the pilot applied full power and pulled the flight controls full aft. Subsequently, the nose pitched up, the pilot lost forward vision, and the airplane began drifting to the left. As the takeoff roll continued the pilot lost directional control and the airplane departed the left side of the runway. During the runway excursion, the airplane rolled downward into a ditch and came to rest after the propeller struck the ground, resulting in substantial damage to the right wing spar. The pilot reported no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and winds were calm at the time of the accident.
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
- Loss of visual reference during takeoff
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
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 › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 148 hours in all; 129 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 9, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,141.7 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 11, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 1,142 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RJD Ridgely MD at 8:45 pm
- Destination: CGE Cambridge MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,477 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.29 inHg
- Observation at 9:24 pm from CGE
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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 GAA15CA014.