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Atlas / NTSB / BFO90DIG02

NTSB CAROL · Event

Event BFO90DIG02

1990-08-01 FREDERICK, Maryland, United States Airport · FDK Minor 1 aircraft Status: Completed

Registry · N2891F

FAA Aircraft Registry record.

Make / Model

CESSNA 182J

Year of manufacture

1966 · 24 years old at event

Engine

CONT MOTOR O-470 SERIES (230 hp)

Seats / Engines

4 seats · 1 engine

Last airworthiness date

19660319

ADS-B equipped

Yes — Mode-S A2F1EB

Registrant of record

BAYSHORE PROPERTIES LLC

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO ASSURE THAT THE MAGNETO (IGNITION) SWITCH WAS IN THE PROPER POSITION. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: PARTIAL FAILURE OF THE MAGNETO SWITCH, WHICH ALLOWED THE KEY TO BE REMOVED, THOUGH THE SWITCH WAS NOT IN THE 'OFF' POSITION.

Factual narrative

THE PLT STATED THE STARTER WOULD NO ROTATE THE ENGINE PAST THE FIRST POWER STROKE. HE DEPLANED & THE PASSENGER STAYED ABOARD. THE PLT STATED THAT THE MAG SWITCH, MASTER SWITCH, AND MIXTURE COUNTROL WERE IN THE 'OFF' POSITION. HE ALSO REPORTED THE THROTTLE WAS AT IDLE POSITION & THE KEY WAS REMOVED FROM THE MAG SWITCH. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO TURN THE ENGINE PAST THE COMPRESSION STROKE BY TURNING THE PROPELLER. AS HE ROTATED THE PROPELLER, THE ENGINE STARTED. THE PASSENGER STATED THAT WHEN THE ENGINE STARTED, SHE PANICKED AND PROBABLY ADVANCED THE THROTTLE. THE ACFT THEN BEGAN MOVING & COLLIDED WITH TWO PARKED CARS. AN EXAM REVEALED THE IGNITION (MAG) KEY COULD BE REMOVED WITH THE MAG SWITCH IN ANY POSITION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1990_BFO90DIG02.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.