Beech A23 accident near Dublin, Virginia, May 21, 1983
On May 21, 1983 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Beech A23, registered N1467L, was destroyed in an accident near Dublin, Virginia (New River Valley airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- May 21, 1983 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Dublin, Virginia · New River Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A23 · all A23s on the register
- Registration
- N1467L · no longer on the register · serial M-863
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH WIRES AND CRASHED DURING A TRAINING MISSION. ACCORDING TO ONE OF THE CFI'S OTHER STUDENTS THE AREA IN WHICH THE CRASH OCCURRED WAS REGULARLY USED BY THE CFI FOR AIRWORK. THIS AIRWORK WAS NORMALLY PERFORMED AT ABOUT800 FT AGL. ON THIS DAY THE ACFT WAS OBSERVED AT AN ALT ESTIMATED AS 50 TO 200 FT AGL. SOME WITNESSES REPORT THE ENGINE RUNNING SMOOTHLY OTHERS SAY IT WAS SPITTING AND SPUTTERING. THREE WITNESSES OBSERVED THE WINGS 'ROCKING' FROM SIDE TO SIDE. THE ACFT STRUCK A POWERLINE AT 69 FT AGL. ACCORDING TO WITNESSES THE ACFT NOSED UP AND THEN FELL IN A NEAR VERTICAL NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE. THIS ACCIDENT OCCURRED ABOUT 30 TO 45 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF FOR THIS DUAL TRAINING FLT. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT SHOWED THE LEFT FUEL TANK CONTAINED ABOUT 11 GALLONS OF FUEL. THE RIGHT TANK WAS EMPTY. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS ON THE LEFT TANK. CONTROL CABLE CONTINUITY WAS VERIFIED FROM THE CONTROL SURFACES TO THE IMPACT DAMAGED AREA OF THE CABIN.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 13,404 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,583 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 8, 1983; 81 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-346A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dublin Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PSK Dublin VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from BLF, 29 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.