Casualties unknown

Student Pilot Stalls During Go-Around at Lee Airport (N427FL)

Edgewater, MD, US

On December 15, 1985, a Piper PA-28-140 (registration N427FL) was involved in an aviation accident near Edgewater, MD. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The student pilot's failure to reduce pitch in time to prevent a stall during the go-around. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.

Sourcesthe U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archivePrimary reportUpdated 2026-07-04Data APIEditorial standards
Aircraft registered N427FL
Aircraft registered N427FL. Photo: Tomás Del Coro from Las Vegas, Nevada, USA / CC BY-SA 2.0, via Wikimedia Commons

A student pilot returning from a cross-country flight to Lee Airport applied full flaps on approach, ballooned during flare, attempted go-around, but stalled and flipped inverted after veering into a plowed field.

Incident Overview

A student pilot was returning to Lee Airport in Edgewater, Maryland, following a cross-country flight to Lancaster, Pennsylvania. During the final approach for Runway 12, the pilot applied full flaps. As the aircraft entered the landing flare, it ballooned upward. In response, the pilot applied full power to execute a go-around.

Sequence of Events

According to the pilot's post-accident account, he failed to reduce pitch in time to prevent a stall during the go-around. The aircraft dropped onto the runway, contacting the ground with the main landing gear first. Subsequently, the aircraft swerved to the left of the runway and entered a freshly plowed field, where it flipped over and came to rest inverted.

Aftermath

The aircraft sustained damage during the accident sequence. No further details regarding the aircraft type, registration, operator, or occupant status were provided in the source.

Probable cause

The student pilot's failure to reduce pitch in time to prevent a stall during the go-around.

Frequently asked questions

What happened in the 15 Dec 1985 Piper PA-28-140 accident near Edgewater, MD?

A student pilot returning from a cross-country flight to Lee Airport applied full flaps on approach, ballooned during flare, attempted go-around, but stalled and flipped inverted after veering into a plowed field.

What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?

The accident on 15 Dec 1985 involved a Piper PA-28-140, registration N427FL, at Edgewater, MD.

What was the probable cause of the accident?

The student pilot's failure to reduce pitch in time to prevent a stall during the go-around.

Investigation report by the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive. Original record: https://carol.ntsb.gov/event/20001214X38357. This page is a structured re-presentation; facts and quotes are in the National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB), United States.