Piper PA-22-150 accident near Stafford, Virginia, February 19, 1983
On February 19, 1983 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3750P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Stafford, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- February 19, 1983 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Stafford, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3750P · registry record · serial 22-3470
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A DITCH DURING A FORCED LANDING. THE PLT WAS CRUISING AT 3000 FT MSL WHEN HE HEARD A 'LOUD POP'. THE ENGINE STARTED RUNNING ROUGH AND MISSING. THE PLT SHUT THE ENGINE DOWN BY PULLING THE MIXTURE CONTROL AND THROTTLE. WHEN HE SHUT DOWN THE ENGINE HE BEGAN TO LOOK FOR A PLACE TO LAND. HE WANTED I-95 BUT IT WAS CROWDED WITH TRAFFIC. A FIELD WAS PICKED BUT THE DITCH WAS NOT SEEN UNTIL TOO LATE TO AVOID IT.
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
- Flight time: 540 hours in all; 452 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 510 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,169 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 14, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W22 Woodridge VA
- Destination: W93 Orange VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.