Piper PA28-140 accident near Front Royal, Virginia, August 15, 2007
On August 15, 2007 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Piper PA28-140, registered N6455R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Front Royal, Virginia (Front Royal-Warren County Airp airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper recovery from a bounced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 15, 2007 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Front Royal, Virginia · Front Royal-Warren County Airp · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-140 · all PA28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N6455R · no longer on the register · serial 28-21641
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he "entered the 45 made call traffic for landing runway 27. Went through the checklist, called downwind at 1000 feet agl. Began descent and put in one notch of flaps. Called base and put in second notch of flaps. Called final was higher than I wanted and put in full flaps. Came down to the runway with a bit of ground effect lift. Pulled back and [the air]plane settled down on the runway. Nose bounced a couple of quick times and came off of the runway. Began to oscillate in bigger bounces. Third time nosed over into the runway folding the front nose gear under the airplane and prop ground into the pavement. Plane skidded forward and off to the left where it hit a light and slid off the runway." The pilot further stated that "I should have reacted faster on the first or second hop and hit the throttle, I could have recovered and gone around."
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: powered-lift
- Flight time: 153 hours in all; 146 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 84 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,781 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2007; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming AE-IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FKN Franklin VA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: FRR Front Royal VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,007 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 0 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:40 pm from CJR
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.