Piper PA-22-150 accident near Hillsville, Virginia, October 2, 1986
On October 2, 1986 at about 2:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N6003D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hillsville, Virginia (Twin CO. airport). 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
- October 2, 1986 · about 2:20 pm local time
- Place
- Hillsville, Virginia · Twin CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N6003D · no longer on the register · serial 22-4654
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOUCHDOWN ON THE RWY, THE PLT HELD THE NOSE WHEEL OFF FOR ABOUT 200 FEET OF TRAVEL BY HOLDING THE CONTROL WHEEL BACK. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE ACFT THEN VEERED TO THE LEFT AND HE WAS UNABLE TO STEER IT WITH THE RUDDER PEDALS. THE ACFT WENT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY AND NOSED OVER ON AN ADJACENT GRASS AREA. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS BENT ABOUT 30 DEGREES TO THE LEFT. THE BRAKES TESTED SATISFACTORY AND THE WHEELS ROTATED FREELY.
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: 210 hours in all; 44 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,952 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 12, 1985; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MWX Mt. Airy NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.