Piper PA-28-235 accident near Tappahannock, Virginia, February 14, 1990
On February 14, 1990 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8521W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tappahannock, Virginia (Tappahannock Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF FIXED BASE OPERATOR (FBO) PERSONNEL TO ASSURE THAT THE FUEL TANK WAS FREE OF WATER, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO INSURE THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS PROPERLY PREFLIGHTED. SOFT/MARSHY TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 14, 1990 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Tappahannock, Virginia · Tappahannock Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8521W · registry record · serial 28-10022
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER. THE CFI TOOK CONTROL OF THE AIRCRAFT AND MADE A FORCED LANDING ON MARSHY TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT SUBSEQUENTLY NOSED OVER DURING THE LANDING ROLL. WATER WAS FOUND IN THE CARBURETOR AND ABOUT 5 GALLONS OF WATER WAS FOUND IN THE FUEL TANK THAT THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REFUELED FROM. THE ENGINE WAS RUN SUCCESSFULLY AFTER THE ACCIDENT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command; 3,300 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,682 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 1, 1989; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W79 Tappahannock VA at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,875 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 18 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from RIC, 33 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.