Piper PA-28-140 accident near Oak Grove, Virginia, February 12, 1984
On February 12, 1984 at about 8:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5546F, was destroyed in an accident near Oak Grove, Virginia (Harbor View airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 12, 1984 · about 8:58 pm local time
- Place
- Oak Grove, Virginia · Harbor View · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5546F · registry record · serial 28-24945
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES DURING AN APPROACH TO LAND IN IMC WEATHER. THE PLT HAD TAKEN OFF ABOUT 10 MINUTES EARLIER AND WHEN FOG ROLLED IN HE TRIED TO LAND. AFTER ONE GO-AROUND HE MADE A 2ND APPROACH AND DESCENDED TO 75 FT AGL TO OBTAINBETTER VISIBILITY AND COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORT OF THE ARPT.
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: 300 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W20 at 8:45 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 2,565 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 8:58 pm from W20
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.