Beech B19 accident near College Park, Maryland, May 8, 1984
On May 8, 1984 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Beech B19, registered N18786, was destroyed in an accident near College Park, Maryland (College Park airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1984 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- College Park, Maryland · College Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech B19 · all B19s on the register
- Registration
- N18786 · no longer on the register · serial MB-850
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT HAD ARRIVED AT THE ARPT BETWEEN 1600 & 1615, & HAD LANDED ON RWY 15. WINDS GENERALLY WERE OUT OF THE SW AT ABOUT10 KTS. THE PLT STATED THAT DURING THE FLT HE HAD OBSERVED A THUNDERSTORM WEST OF ANDREWS AFB (10 MI SOUTH.) AFTER LOADING AN ATC SIMULATOR & ITS ACCESSORIES ON BOARD THE ACFT, THE PLT TAXIED TO THE DISPLACED THRESHOLD ON THE APPROACH END OF RWY 15. DURING THIS PERIOD, ANEMOGRAM READINGS RECORDED BY THE UNIV OF MD SHOW THAT THERE WAS A SUDDEN SHIFT TO WINDS OUT OF THE NW WITH GUSTS TO 40 KTS. THE PLT COMMENTED THAT HE WANTED TO BEAT THE STORM. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE WIND WAS BETWEEN 300 & 330 DEGS WITH WINDS IN EXCESS OF 20 KTS. ONE PLT TRIED TO WARN THE PLT BY WAVING HIS ARMS TO CALL HIS ATTENTION TO THE WIND CONDITIONS. THE ACFT TOOK OFF IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. THE PLT STATED HE MAINTAINED 75 KTS AT MAX POWER BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND AT ABOUT A 200 FPM DESCENT UNTIL IT IMPACTED TREES & FENCES OF A TENNIS COURT. A 24 KT TAILWIND COMPONENT CAN INCREASE TAKEOFF DISTANCES BY AS MUCH AS 80%.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,450 hours in all; 345 in this make and model; 6,150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 2, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CGS College Park MD at 8:35 pm
- Destination: CGE Cambridge MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,740 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 28 knots, gusting 52
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,800 ft; not recorded at 2,800 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from DCA, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
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.