Amateur-built EAA BIPLANE accident near Petersburg, Virginia, July 2, 1983
On July 2, 1983 at about 10:27 pm local time, a amateur-built EAA BIPLANE, registered N3140B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Petersburg, Virginia. It was a personal 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 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
- July 2, 1983 · about 10:27 pm local time
- Place
- Petersburg, Virginia
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EAA BIPLANE EAA BIPLAN
- Registration
- N3140B · registry record · serial LG-1
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF, CIRCLED THE FIELD, THEN STARTED TO DEPART AT APRX 1000 FT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE ENG LOST POWER & COULD NOT BE RESTARTED. THE PLT ELECTED TO LAND ON A ROAD. WHILE ON A SHORT FINAL TO LAND, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE. REPORTEDLY, THE POWER LINE SHEARED OFF THE GEAR & A BELLY LANDING WAS MADE IN THE ROAD. AN INVESTIGAITON REVEALED THAT A VENTURI HAD COME LOOSE ON THE MARVEL SCHEBLER MA-3 CARBURETOR. AFTER THE CARBURETOR WAS REPAIRED, IT WOULD OPERATE NORMALLY. THE HOME BUILT ACFT HAD A TOTAL FLT TIME OF 16 HR. THE ACCUMULATED FLT TIME ON THE ENG WAS APRX 450 HRS.
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: 16 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C1 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PTB Petersburg VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.