Piper PA-22-150 accident near Harrisonburg, Virginia, August 4, 1988
On August 4, 1988 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N1665A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Harrisonburg, Virginia. 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
- August 4, 1988 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Harrisonburg, Virginia · 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
- N1665A · no longer on the register · serial 22-422
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ENCOUNTERED CLOUDS DURING A NIGHT VFR FLIGHT. HE DECIDED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LNDG ON WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS A LIGHTED FARM LANDING STRIP. HOWEVER, HE LATER LEARNED THE STRIP WAS ACTUALLY A ROW OF LIGHTED TURKEY BARNS. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, AS HE MADE THE APCH HE SAW A POWER LINE IN HIS PATH SO HE TRIED TO DO A GO-AROUND. HOWEVER, ACCORDING TO THE PLT HE DID NOT COMPENSATE WITH ADEQUATE POWER AND THE ACFT STALLED. THE ACFT DESCENDED AND STRUCK A HILL ABOUT 250 FT SHORT OF THE INITIALLY SELECTED LANDING AREA. THE PLT DID NOT REPORT ANY MALFUNCTIONS OF THE EQUIPMENT.
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: 957 hours in all; 927 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 900 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 12G Shelby OH at 10:30 pm
- Destination: W93 Orange VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 030° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 am from CHO, 28 miles away
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 N1665A 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.