Piper PA-24-250 accident near Tazewell, Virginia, April 6, 1982
On April 6, 1982 at about 5:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7841P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tazewell, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 6, 1982 · about 5:15 pm local time
- Place
- Tazewell, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7841P · no longer on the register · serial 3063
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE FAILED AT 8000 FT IN CLEAR AIR AND LEVEL FLIGHT. HE IMMEDIATELY ATTEMPTED TO SWITCH THE FUEL SELECTOR TO ONE OF THE TWO REMAINING FULL FUEL TANKS BUT THE SELECTOR WOULD NOT MOVE. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO SWITCH TANKS USING A PAIR OF PLIERS A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A SNOW COVERED ROLLING FIELD. THE LANDING WAS MADE UPHILL AND THE LEFT WING CONTACTED A FENCE POST ON LANDING ROLL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE THOUGHT THAT THERE WAS FROZEN WATER IN THE FUEL SELECTOR VALVE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,500 hours in all; 1,995 in this make and model; 89 in the last 90 days; 2,319 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,500 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GA1 Gaithersburg MD at 10:00 am
- Destination: Huntsville AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 104°F (40°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N7841P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.