Piper PA-28-140 accident near Manassas, Virginia, April 6, 1988
On April 6, 1988, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1719J, was destroyed in an accident near Manassas, Virginia (Manassas airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 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
- April 6, 1988
- Place
- Manassas, Virginia · Manassas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1719J · no longer on the register · serial 28-24131
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD DEPARTED WAYCROSS, GA, ON THE MORNING OF THE ACCIDENT FOR A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT TO MANASSAS, VA. DURING THE APPROACH INTO MANASSAS, THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED TREES OFF THE APPROACH ENDS OF RWYS 34L AND 34R. BOTH RWYS WERE IN USE AT THE TIME AND IT IS UNKNOWN WHICH THE PILOT WAS ATTEMPTING TO LAND ON. THE AIRCRAFT STALLED INTO AN OPEN FIELD SHORT OF THE AIRPORT BETWEEN THE EXTENDED CENTERLINES OF THE RUNWAYS. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRPLANE OR THE ENGINE WAS FOUND. THE VASI LIGHTS HAD BEEN OUT OF SERVICE FOR AT LEAST ONE YEAR PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE APPROACHES TO RUNWAYS 34L AND 34R WERE DESCRIBED BY PILOTS FAMILIAR WITH THE AIRPORT AS BEING LIKE A 'BLACK HOLE' DUE TO THE LACK OF VISUAL REFERENCES OVER THE TREES AND FIELD.
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: 201 hours in all; 187 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 150 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,962 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 19, 1987; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FVX Farmville VA at 7:46 pm
- Destination: W10 Manassas VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:50 pm from IAD, 13 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.