Piper PA-32-300 accident near Williamsburg, Virginia, July 30, 1989
On July 30, 1989 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4022R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Williamsburg, Virginia (Williamsburg airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL BY IMPROPERLY FLARING THE AIRPLANE DURING THE LANDING APPROACH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 30, 1989 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Williamsburg, Virginia · Williamsburg
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4022R · registry record · serial 32-40299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL AT AN AIRSPEED OF 80 MPH WITH FLAPS EXTENDED, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ALT. THE ACFT DESCENDED RAPIDLY AND CONTACTED THE RWY FROM AN ALT OF APRX 10 FT AGL. THE LANDING WAS BEING MADE ON RWY 13 AND THE PLT REPORTED LOCAL WINDS FROM 180 DEGS AT 5 KTS GUSTING TO 10 KTS.
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
What happened, in order
- HARD LANDING during landing - flare/touchdown
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 677 hours in all; 125 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 533 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: class 2
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,901 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, January 13, 1989; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: SBY Salisbury MD at 2:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 3,215 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°C, dew point 0°C
- Altimeter: 30 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number BFO89LA066.