Piper PA-28-180 accident near Centreville, Maryland, October 25, 1993
On October 25, 1993 at about 11:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N16493, was destroyed in an accident near Centreville, Maryland. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 25, 1993 · about 11:55 pm local time
- Place
- Centreville, Maryland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N16493 · registry record · serial 28-7305269
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ONE AND ONE HALF HOURS INTO THE FLIGHT THE PILOT SWITCHED FROM THE RIGHT FUEL TANK TO LEFT TANK. THE ENGINE STARTED TO RUN ROUGH THEN LOSE POWER. THE PILOT WAS NOT ABLE TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM, AND HE COULD NOT MAINTAIN ALTITUDE. THE AIRPLANE DESCENDED UNTIL IT IMPACTED IN 20 TO 30 FEET OF WATER AND SANK. THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT RECOVERED FROM THE WATER, AND THE REASON FOR THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 750 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 675 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,412 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 24, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FDK Fredrick MD at 8:00 pm
- Destination: ESN Easton MD
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 280° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:00 am from BWI, 20 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.