Piper PA-22-150 accident near Pungo, Virginia, January 21, 1987
On January 21, 1987 at about 6:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N7720D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Pungo, Virginia (Pungo airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- January 21, 1987 · about 6:45 pm local time
- Place
- Pungo, Virginia · Pungo · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7720D · registry record · serial 22-5394
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT MADE 3 FULL STOP LANDINGS ALONE BEFORE THE INSTRUCTOR BOARDED THE ACFT. ANOTHER FULL STOP LANDING WAS MADE AND DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE INSTR NOTICED THAT THE LAST HALF OF THE GRASS RWY WAS WETTER THAN THE FIRST HALF. THE INSTR ELECTED TO TAKEOFF & LAND IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION; TO THE EAST. ON THE FIRST LANDING TO THE EAST, FULL FLAPS WERE USED AND THE APCH SPEED WAS 80 KTS. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN HALF WAY DOWN THE RWY. ABOUT 1700 FT OF RWY REMAINED WHEN THE BRAKES WERE APPLIED. ACCORDING TO THE INSTR, THE ACFT SLOWED DOWN IN A NORMAL MANNER UNTIL SOON AFTERWARDS THE STU STATED HE HAD LOST BRAKES. THE INSTR ATTEMPTED TO GROUND LOOP THE ACFT. HOWEVER, WHEN HE TRIED, THE ACFT SKIDDED INSTEAD OF TURNING AND WENT OFF THE RWY INTO A RAVINE AND NOSED OVER. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT REVEALED THAT THE BRAKES WERE INOPERATIVE.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,611 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 12,411 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,457 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 1, 1986; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 4,000 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.