Piper PA18-150 accident near Forest Hill, Maryland, May 13, 2000
On May 13, 2000 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA18-150, registered N9432P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Forest Hill, Maryland (Forest Hill 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
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. Factors in this accident were the tailwind condition, and the pilot's lack of flight experience in tail-wheeled airplanes.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 13, 2000 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Forest Hill, Maryland · Forest Hill · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA18-150 · all PA18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N9432P · no longer on the register · serial 18-7409120
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While landing on Runway 31, a 2,650 foot long, 50 foot wide asphalt runway, the airplane veered off the right side of the runway, where it impacted a parked airplane. Winds reported at an airport about 15 miles south of the accident site, were from 160 degrees at 5 knots. The pilot reported 183 hours of total flight experience; with 5 hours in tail-wheeled airplanes, all in the PA-18-150.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 183 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 113 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,380 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 2000; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,750 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N71 Donegal Springs PA at 5:50 pm
- Destination: MD31
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 2,650 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:48 pm from MTN, 17 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.