Cessna 172 accident near Laytonsville, MD
On September 27, 2016, a Cessna 172 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Laytonsville, MD. 1 person died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- September 27, 2016
- Place
- Laytonsville, MD
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 1 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 39.236°N, 77.136°W
- NTSB ID
- 20160927X94824
Official records · ERA16FA329
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
Air traffic control records
- Air Traffic Control Radio Communication Audio: Audio recording (WAV), on ntsb.gov
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHTOn September 27, 2016, about 1830 eastern daylight time, a Cessna 172P, N52126, was destroyed when it impacted terrain following a loss of control near Laytonsville, Maryland. The commercial pilot/mechanic was fatally injured. The airplane was owned by TSS Flying Club, Inc., and was operated by the pilot. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. The airplane departed from Davis Airport (W50) in Laytonsville and was destined for Montgomery County Airpark (GAI), Gaithersburg, Maryland. According to representatives at the TSS Flying Club, about 1400, the pilot/mechanic flew the airplane from the club's base at GAI to W50 to complete a 100-hour maintenance inspection of the airplane. A review of airport security video at W50 revealed that the pilot taxied the airplane onto the maintenance ramp, shut down the engine, and uncowled the engine. He then drained the engine oil and inspected the spark plugs, air filter, and other engine components before reinstalling the engine cowling. The pilot then pushed the airplane back, started the engine, and taxied to the runway for takeoff. The video did not depict the pilot/mechanic servicing the engine with oil. According to air traffic control audio communication recordings provided by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), shortly after takeoff from W50, the pilot reported to an air traffic controller that he was "losing an engine" and was returning to the airport. Several witnesses report
Probable cause
The pilot/mechanic's failure to maintain airspeed following a loss of engine power, which resulted in the airplane exceeding its critical angle of attack and experiencing an aerodynamic stall. Also causal was the pilot/mechanic's failure to service the engine with oil following maintenance, which resulted in the total loss of engine power.
More accidents in MD
- Aerospatiale SA365N-1 D, Sep 28, 2008
- Robinson Helicopter R44, Jul 24, 2009
- Cessna 172P, Mar 16, 2002
- Beech B24R, Apr 23, 1994
- Piper PA-28R-201T, Jul 31, 1989
Browse: Maryland · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
