Piper PA-18 accident near Front Royal, Virginia, February 19, 1983
On February 19, 1983 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-18, registered N40552, was substantially damaged in an accident near Front Royal, Virginia (Front Royal-Warren CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person 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 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Front Royal, Virginia · Front Royal-Warren CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18 · all PA-18s on the register
- Registration
- N40552 · registry record · serial 18-7509126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT NOSED OVER DURING LANDING. THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS. THE PILOT SAID THAT AS HE LANDED, THE ACFT SKIPPED. HE SAID THE ACFT WAS RELANDED BUT THE TAIL CAME UP. THE TAIL WAS LOWERED, CAME UP AGAIN AND WITH BACK PRESSURE ON THE CONTROL STICK THE ACFT NOSED OVER. THE PILOT DID NOT FILE A WRITTEN REPORT.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,760 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 3,019 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.