Amateur-built WIZARD accident near Chesapeake, Virginia, May 30, 1987
On May 30, 1987 at about 11:00 pm local time, a amateur-built WIZARD, registered N39583, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesapeake, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- May 30, 1987 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WIZARD
- Registration
- N39583 · no longer on the register · serial 66001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG FLT, A PORTION OF THE EXHAUST STACK BROKE OFF & STRUCK THE WOODEN PROP. APRX 1/3 OF THE PROP SEPARATED & A SEVERE VIBRATION STARTED. THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE ENG & HEADED FOR AN OPEN FIELD. DUE TO LACK OF ALTITUDE, HE WAS BARELY ABLE TO CLEAR NEARBY TREES. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT LANDED HARD & WAS FURTHER DAMAGED. AN EXAM OF THE FAILED EXHAUST STACK REVEALED EVIDENCE OF A PREVIOUS CRACK.
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: 150 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax UNK (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Chesapeake VA at 10:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft; not recorded at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:00 pm from PHF, 20 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.