Piper PA-28-180 accident near Luray Caverns, Virginia, November 17, 1984
On November 17, 1984 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9360J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Luray Caverns, Virginia. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- November 17, 1984 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Luray Caverns, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9360J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3459
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS LANDED ON A INADEQUATE FIELD DURING A SIMULATED FORCED LANDING THAT BECAME A REAL EMERGENCY BECAUSE THE FLTINSTRUCTOR CUT THE MIXTURE TO OFF. THE CFI TOOK OVER THE LANDING AT THE LAST PART OF THE APPROACH AND TOLD THE STUDENT TO RESTART THE ENGINE. THE STUDENT LOST TIME TRYING TO RESTART WITH THE MIXTURE OFF. WHEN HE DISCOVERED THE MIXTURE OFF AND CORRECTED IT THEY WERE ON THE GROUND. NO DAMAGE WAS DONE UNTIL A TAKEOFF WAS ATTEMPTED AND A FENCE WAS STRUCK. THE PLT SAID THAT THE FIELD WAS ROUGH AND SLOWED THEIR ACCELERATION.
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: 798 hours in all; 358 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,648 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: New Market VA at 8:25 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.