Piper PA-30 accident near Mitchellville, Maryland, June 27, 1993
On June 27, 1993 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N7563Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mitchellville, Maryland (Freeway 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 FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN A PROPER GLIDE PATH DURING THE FINAL APPROACH, WHICH RESULTED IN THE AIRPLANE STRIKING A MOVING VEHICLE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 27, 1993 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Mitchellville, Maryland · Freeway · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N7563Y · no longer on the register · serial 30-626
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS COMPLETING A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO AN AIRPORT WHERE A MAJOR HIGHWAY CROSSES UNDER THE FINAL APPROACH COURSE. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT FELT SOME TURBULENCE, ADDED POWER TO CORRECT FOR A SLIGHT SINKING AND MADE A NORMAL FLARE. APPROXIMATELY 600 FEET DOWN THE RUNWAY THE RIGHT WING SETTLED ONTO THE RUNWAY. A WITNESS, ON THE HIGHWAY, OBSERVED THE AIRPLANE FLY A FLAT APPROACH ACROSS THE HIGHWAY, AND THE LANDING GEAR OF THE AIRPLANE STRIKE A MOVING TRUCK TRAILER. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE REVEALED THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING WHEEL MISSING AND THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR STRUT COLLAPSED INWARD.
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, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 330 in this make and model; 90 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command; 2,500 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,394 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 10, 1992; 224 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Southern Aviation Mgt CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: RDU Raleigh NC at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,425 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 59°F (15°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:52 pm from BWI, 15 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.