Piper PA-28-140 accident near Chesapeake, Virginia, April 7, 1986
On April 7, 1986 at about 7:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N9636W, was destroyed in an accident near Chesapeake, Virginia (Hampton Roads airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. 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
- April 7, 1986 · about 7:00 am local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Virginia · Hampton Roads · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N9636W · no longer on the register · serial 28-23094
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
BEFORE THE FLT, THE PLT WAS OBSERVED DRINKING IN A BAR. HE & 3 OTHERS THEN DROVE TO THE ARPT, WHERE RPRTDLY, THE WX WAS BAD & THE VISIBILITY WAS RESTRICTED BY FOG. AFTER AWHILE, THE PLT STATED HE WAS GOING TO TAXI THE ACFT AROUND THE ARPT & INVITED THE OTHERS TO JOIN HIM. TWO OF THE OTHERS GOT INTO THE ACFT, BUT THE 4TH PERSON WAS CONCERNED ABOUT THE CONDITIONS & REFUSED TO GO. THE PLT STARTED THE ENG & TAXIED TO THE END OF THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS THEN OBSERVED TO TAKEOFF & BEGIN A RGT TURN, THEN THE WITNESS LOST SIGHT OF THE PLANE. MOMENTS LATER, HE HEARD THE SOUNDS OF THE PLANE CRASHING. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE ACFT HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES & CRASHED ON ARPT PROPERTY, ABOUT 500 FT ENE FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 28. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL PROBLEM WAS EVIDENT. TOXICOLOGY CHECKS SHOWED THE PLT HAD A BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVL OF 0.08% & A URINE/ALCOHOL LVL OF OF ABOUT 0.14%. THE PASSENGERS HAD BLOOD/ALCOHOL LVLS OF 0.03% & 0.07%.
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: 123 hours in all; 60 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,523 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 15, 1986; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 3,526 ft by 70 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 120° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 am from ORF, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.