Piper PA-23-250 accident near Warrenton, Virginia, March 15, 1984
On March 15, 1984 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N63857, was substantially damaged in an accident near Warrenton, Virginia (Warrenton airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- March 15, 1984 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Warrenton, Virginia · Warrenton
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N63857 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7854007
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI SHUT DOWN ONE ENGINE DURING TAKEOFF FOR A SIMULATED EMERGENCY AND THE PLT TAKING INSTRUCTION APPLIED THE INCORRECT RUDDER ACTION DURING THE ABORTED TAKEOFF AND LEFT FULL POWER ON THE OPERATING RIGHT ENGINE. THE CFI WAS UNABLETO CORRECT THE RESULTING ACFT SWERVE TO THE LEFT INTO A DIRT EMBANKMENT.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,380 hours in all; 427 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 7,210 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 570 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 10, 1983; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,160 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm, 24 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.