Piper PA-28-180 accident near Deerfield, VA
On August 18, 2002, a Piper PA-28-180 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Deerfield, VA. 2 people died. Damage to the aircraft: destroyed.
- Date
- August 18, 2002
- Place
- Deerfield, VA
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 0 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Position
- 38.204°N, 79.344°W
- NTSB ID
- 20020823X01451
NTSB summary
HISTORY OF FLIGHT On August 18, 2002, about 1515 eastern daylight time, a Piper PA-28-180, N5295L, was destroyed when it struck trees after takeoff from a private airstrip in Deerfield, Virginia. The certificated flight instructor and pilot rated passenger were fatally injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for the personal flight conducted under 14 CFR Part 91. According to the property manager at the private airstrip, earlier in the day, the pilot landed "the wrong way" on runway 15. Runway 15 was 2,442 feet long, 50 feet wide, and consisted of up-sloping turf. The landing was the first time the pilot had flown to the private airstrip. The pilot and two passengers visited with friends for several hours. About 1500, the pilot and one of the passengers intended to fly from the private airstrip to Shenandoah Valley Regional Airport (SHD), Staunton, Virginia, as the passenger was late for work. The second passenger declined to take the flight because he wanted to stay longer at his friend's residence. The property manager further stated that the airplane back-taxied on runway 15, and began a takeoff roll, "the wrong way, with a 15-20 mph tailwind." The airplane became airborne and the engine "sounded fine." However, the airplane rolled right, then left, and struck an approximate 80-foot tall tree at the end of runway 15. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain about 250 feet from the tree, and was consumed by a post-crash fire. Another witness, the person who elected not to take the accident flight, stated that the pilot landed on
Probable cause
The pilot's improper preflight decision to takeoff on an up-sloping runway with a tailwind, which resulted in an inadvertent stall and collision with a tree. Factors were the pilot's lack of familiarity with the geographic area, and a tailwind.
More accidents in VA
- Boeing 757-200, Sep 11, 2001
- Beech B99, Sep 23, 1985
- Beech 65, Sep 10, 1995
- Beech 200, Oct 24, 2004
- Piper PA-31-310, Nov 14, 1982
Browse: Virginia · Piper 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.
