Piper J-3 accident near Ocean City, Maryland, June 25, 1992
On June 25, 1992 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Piper J-3, registered N88522, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ocean City, Maryland (Ocean City Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S INADEQUATE VISUAL LOOK OUT FOR OBJECTS WHILE TAXING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 25, 1992 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Ocean City, Maryland · Ocean City Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-3 · all J-3s on the register
- Registration
- N88522 · registry record · serial 16147
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAXI TO A RUNWAY, THE PILOT BEGAN TO MAKE 'S' TURNS ACROSS THE RAMP. THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED RIGHT. THE RIGHT WING STRUT OF THE J-3 CONTACTED THE LEFT WING TIP OF A PARKED PA-30 THAT THE PILOT DID NOT SEE. THE J-3 THEN PIVOTED RIGHT WHICH ALLOWED THE PROPELLER TO STRIKE THE INSIDE OF THE PA-30 PROPELLER AND ENGINE COWLING.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,444 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,084 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,665 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1992; 5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,220 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-85-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: N80
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:54 pm from SBY, 18 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.