Piper PA-28-181 accident near Reedville, Virginia, June 17, 1988
On June 17, 1988 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N82836, was substantially damaged in an accident near Reedville, Virginia (Pvt Airstrip 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
- June 17, 1988 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Reedville, Virginia · Pvt Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N82836 · registry record · serial 28-8190071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER BACK-TAXIING ON THE PVT AIRSTRIP, THE PLT MADE A 180 DEG TURN TO LINE UP FOR TAKEOFF. DURING THE TURN THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR CONTACTED A DITCH IN A TALL GRASS AREA OFF THE END OF THE RWY. THE PLT APPLIED POWER TO PREVENT THE ACFT FROM BECOMING STUCK IN THE DITCH. AS POWER WAS APPLIED THE TAIL OF THE ACFT SWUNG AROUND AND CONTACTED THE BACKSIDE OF THE DITCH BECOMING SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED.
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: 249 hours in all; 141 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 196 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,417 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: RIC Richmond VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 2,900 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:45 am
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.
Other NTSB records under N82836 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.