Amateur-built II accident near Williamsport, Maryland, June 28, 1992
On June 28, 1992 at about 11:40 pm local time, a amateur-built II, registered N531PJ, was destroyed in an accident near Williamsport, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S ALCOHOLIC IMPAIRMENT OF EFFICIENCY AND JUDGEMENT RESULTING IN A LOSS OF CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE DURING A FORCED LANDING FOLLOWING A POWER LOSS FOR AN UNDETERMINED REASON.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 1992 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Williamsport, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built II
- Registration
- N531PJ · no longer on the register · serial 622063
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT PREFLIGHTED THE AMATEUR BUILT AIRPLANE AND THEN TAXIED IT FOR ABOUT 10 MIN BEFORE TAKING OFF. ABOUT 15 MIN LATER, WITNESSES REPORTED THEY HEARD THE SOUND OF A ROUGH RUNNING ENGINE BEFORE THE SOUND OF A CRASH. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES WHO REPORTED THEY SAW THE CRASH. THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH THE GROUND IN A NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE DID NOT DISCLOSE EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. THE PILOT WAS NOT CERTIFICATED, BUT HAD ACQUIRED AN UNDETERMINED AMOUNT OF FLIGHT TIME IN ULTRALIGHTS. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS REVEALED A URINE ALCOHOL AND BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL, RESPECTIVELY, OF 0.09% AND 0.06%.
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
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 532 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:40 pm from HGR, 10 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.