Cessna 180 accident near Leonardtown, Maryland, April 9, 1984
On April 9, 1984 at about 4:10 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N3859C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leonardtown, Maryland (St. Mary'S CO. 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 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
- April 9, 1984 · about 4:10 pm local time
- Place
- Leonardtown, Maryland · St. Mary'S CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3859C · registry record · serial 31007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A FORCED LANDING ABOUT 1 MILE SW OF AN ADDED STOPPING POINT. THE PLT NOTED A LOWER THAN PLANNED GS AND THOUGHT HE SHOULD ADD A STOP FOR FUEL. DURING THE FLT HE HAD ENCOUNTERED ICING AND BECAUSE OF CLIMBS AND DESCENTS TO AVOID WX FOR ABOUT AN HOUR AND A HALF, THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS USED WHICH ENRICHED THE MIXTURE. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ACFT WAS FOUND TO CONTAIN ABOUT 3 GALLONS OF FUEL. TWO GALLONS IN THE LEFT TANK AND 0NE GALLON IN THE RIGHT TANK.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,824 hours in all; 1,344 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 1,769 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,438 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 10, 1984; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AHN Athens GA at 12:40 pm
- Destination: WWD Wildwood NJ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.