Cessna 182P accident near Fort Washington, Maryland, November 29, 1996
On November 29, 1996 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 182P, registered N52773, was destroyed in an accident near Fort Washington, Maryland (Potomac Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s).
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 29, 1996 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Fort Washington, Maryland · Potomac Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182P · all 182Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52773 · no longer on the register · serial 18262836
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane contained rubber bladder long range fuel tanks with a fuel capacity of 84 gallons. During the preflight inspection, the pilot estimated 26 gallons and 27 gallons in the right and left wing tanks, respectively. Fuel samples taken from the wing tanks contained water. After rocking the wings several times and holding the empennage to the ground, another teaspoon of water was drained from the left wing tank, and a full fuel drain tube of water was drained from the right wing tank. The pilot repeated the procedure until no water was found in the samples. The engine was started with the fuel selector on the left tank position, taxied with it on right tank position, and the pilot switched to the both position for the run up and takeoff. The pilot stated that as he rotated the airplane for takeoff, the engine immediately surged and lost power. The pilot lowered full flaps, descended straight ahead, and impacted the roof of a house in a residential area. Examination of the wreckage found no mechanical problems, and no fuel contaminates were found in the remaining fuel.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,446 hours in all; 335 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 3,596 as pilot in command; 482 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,009 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 1996; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470/R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VKX at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,665 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from ADW, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.