Piper PA-32-260B accident near Richmond, Virginia, April 7, 1989
On April 7, 1989 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260B, registered N766RW, was destroyed in an accident near Richmond, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
ENGINE LOST POWER BECAUSE OF INDUCTION ICING. CONTRIBUTING FACTORS ARE CONDITIONS CONDUVICE TO INDUCTION ICING AND UNSUITABLE TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1989 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260B · all PA-32-260Bs on the register
- Registration
- N766RW · no longer on the register · serial 32-1159
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLIGHT WAS EN ROUTE AT 8000 FT WHEN THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE PLT WAS INSTRUMENT RATED, BUT THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED COPLT WAS FLYING THE ACFT. ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE UNSUCCESSFULLY TRIED TO RESTART THE ENGINE. HE SAID HE DID NOT USE CARBURETOR HEAT. A FORCED LANDING INTO AN OPEN FIELD WAS ATTEMPTED. HOWEVER, THE ACFT STRUCK TREES IN A WOODED AREA ADJACENT TO THE FIELD. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF MALFUNCTIONS. THE ENGINE WAS TEST RUN AND IT OPERATED SATISFACTORY. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED WEATHER CONDITIONS WERE CONDUCIVE TO INDUCTION ICING. ANOTHER PLT FLYING IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT REPORTED ENCOUNTERING ICING CONDITIONS.
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; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 490 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 1988; 126 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MD31 Forest Hill MD at 12:55 pm
- Destination: FLO Florence SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:32 pm from RIC, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 1 | ||
| Passengers | 2 | 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.