Cessna 182N accident near Frederick, Maryland, June 11, 1997
On June 11, 1997 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 182N, registered N8970G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Frederick, Maryland (Frederick Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 private pilot's improper flare, and the certificated flight instructor's delayed decision to add power, which resulted in the subsequent hard landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1997 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Frederick, Maryland · Frederick Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182N · all 182Ns on the register
- Registration
- N8970G · no longer on the register · serial 18260510
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot requested a right seat check out in the Flying Club's airplane because he flew as safety pilot during instrument flights. The private pilot, flying from the right seat, and a certificated flight instructor (CFI), seated in the left seat, departed for a training flight. A joint statement from both pilots stated that by agreement, the private pilot assumed the pilot-in-command responsibilities. At the destination airport, the CFI directed the private pilot to perform a short field landing. On final approach, the private pilot flared high, the CFI told the pilot to add power, and the airplane landed hard. The private pilot then applied power and the airplane became airborne again. The CFI took control of the airplane, and landed on the runway, where the airplane veered off the runway.
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
- 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: 4,700 hours in all; 247 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 29 in the last 30 days; 4,650 as pilot in command; 3,691 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,973 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 1997; 464 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R25 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GAI Gaithersburg MD at 2:45 pm
- Destination: FDK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,200 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 11,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:54 pm from BWI, 35 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.