Rockwell 112B accident near Woodbridge, Virginia, May 26, 1985
On May 26, 1985 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Rockwell 112B, registered N1417J, was destroyed in an accident near Woodbridge, Virginia (Woodbridge airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 5 people were killed. 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
- May 26, 1985 · about 4:40 pm local time
- Place
- Woodbridge, Virginia · Woodbridge · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 5 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 112B
- Registration
- N1417J · no longer on the register · serial 532
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON MAY 26,1985,AT APPROXIMATELY 1240 HRS EDT,A ROCKWELL INTERNATIONAL COMMANDER 1120,N1417J,COLLIDED WITH TREES AFT TKOF FM WOODBRIDGE ARPT IN WOODBRIDGE,VA. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYED DRNG THE POST IMPACT FIRE AND THE PUT PLT AND 4 PAX ALL SUFFERED FATAL INJURIES. WITNESSES CONCUR THAT THE PLANE APPEARED TO BRUSH THE TOP BRANCHES OF A TREE LOCATED ABT 400FT OFF AND TO THE LEFT OF THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 01 DRNG INITIAL CLIMBOUT. THIS WAS FOLLOWED BY A 50 FOOT CLIMB AFT WHICH THE ACFT BEGAN A SLIPPING LEFT TURN WITH AN INCREASING BANK ANGLE UNTIL IT DESCENDED INTO TREES. THE CALCULATED GROSS WT OF THE ACFT AT THE TIME OF TKOF WAS ABT 3021 POUNDS,THE CERTIFICATED MAX GROSS WT OF THE ACFT IS 2800 POUNDS. THE LENGTH OF RWY 01 AT WOODBRIDGE ARPT IS 2250FT AND THE RECORDED TEMPERATURE AT TIME OF TKOF WAS 83 DEGREES.
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: 493 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,277 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1D6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: W22 Woodbridge VA at 4:40 pm
- Destination: MQI Manteo NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 1, 2,250 ft by 45 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from IAD, 67 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.