Piper PA-28-180 accident near Wise, Virginia, April 30, 1988
On April 30, 1988 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N7947N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wise, Virginia (Lonesome Pine airport). It was an instructional 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
- April 30, 1988 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wise, Virginia · Lonesome Pine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N7947N · no longer on the register · serial 28-5363
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS ON HIS FIRST SOLO FLIGHT AND ATTEMPTING HIS SECOND SOLO LANDING WHEN HE WAS UNABLE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL IN A LEFT CROSSWIND. THE ACFT DRIFTED RIGHT AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO DO A GO-AROUND TO AVOID GOING OFF THE SIDE OF THE RWY. THE PLT SAID HE WAS UNABLE TO GAIN ALTITUDE. HE THEN RAISED THE FLAPS WHICH WAS FOLLOWED BY A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH ROUGH TERRAIN NEXT TO THE RWY WHERE THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,154 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 2, 1987; 27 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Bolding Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 4,702 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots, gusting 10
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.