Piper J-5A accident near Forest, Virginia, March 24, 1984
On March 24, 1984 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper J-5A, registered N33423, was substantially damaged in an accident near Forest, Virginia (New London airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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 24, 1984 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Forest, Virginia · New London · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J-5A · all J-5As on the register
- Registration
- N33423 · no longer on the register · serial 5-512
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS TAXIED DIRECTLY TO TAKEOFF AFTER BEING HANDPROPPED TO START. TO THE WITNESS WHO HANDPROPPED THE ACFT IT APPEARED TO CLIMB AT ABOUT A 70 DEGREE ANGLE AFTER TAKEOFF AND STALL BEFORE DIVING NOSE FIRST INTO THE GROUND. ENGINE SOUNDS REMAINED CONSTANT THROUGHOUT THE FLT. THIS WITNESS RAN TO THE ACFT AND NOTICED THE AFT STICK TIED IN THE FULL AFTPOSITION BY THE REAR SEAT BELT. THE PLT CONFIRMED THIS CONDITION AND STATED THAT SHE DID AN INCOMPLETE PREFLT, INCLUDINGTAKEOFF & CONTROL MOVEMENT CHECKS. SHE SAID SHE DISTRACTED BY ANOTHER TAXIING ACFT AND HURRIED HER DEPARTURE TO AVOID DELAYING THE OTHER ACFT.
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, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,065 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 179 in the last 90 days; 1,962 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 737 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 21, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-75-8 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 3,164 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from LYH, 7 miles away
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.