Piper PA 28 accident near California, Maryland, December 11, 2015
On December 11, 2015 at about 1:00 am local time, a 1971 Piper PA 28, registered N432FL, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near California, Maryland (St Mary'S County Rgnl airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's descent below the prescribed final approach path at night, and flight instructor's failure to correct the student pilot's descent, which resulted in a collision with trees and impact with the ground.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 11, 2015 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- California, Maryland · St Mary'S County Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 28 140, built 1971 · all PA 28s on the register
- Registration
- N432FL · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125219
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that during the student pilot's first night flight, the lesson was to familiarize the student with flying at night, and included takeoffs and landings. The flight instructor reported that during landing, the student pilot held the approach path "for a while" then drifted below the approach path, as indicated by the visual approach slope indicator. The flight instructor told the student that he needed to climb and reestablish the airplane on the approach path. The flight instructor reported that subsequently he (the instructor) "became confused" and could not determine the airplane's position relative to the runway. The flight instructor reported that he "snapped out of the condition", but the airplane collided with trees and impacted the ground short of the runway before a recovery could be made. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine 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
- Altitude deviation during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Loss of visual reference during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Controlled flight into terrain or object (CFIT) during approach (VFR pattern final)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Part(s) separation from AC during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,506 hours in all; 250 in this make and model; 28.2 in the last 90 days; 5.8 in the last 30 days; 7,300 as pilot in command; 7,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 31, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 11.1 in the last 90 days; 3.9 in the last 30 days; 0 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 10,000 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 10, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 1,740 hours total
- Operator: Patuxent River Navy Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: KNHK Patuxent River MD
- Destination: KNHK Patuxent River MD
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 11, 4,150 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 8, 2016. 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 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.