Piper PA-22-150 accident near Wise, Virginia, February 2, 1991
On February 2, 1991 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N7816D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wise, Virginia. It was a personal 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
THE LOSS OF ENGINE POWER BROUGHT ON BY A FAILURE OF THE NUMBER THREE CLYINDER EXHAUST VALVE. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN ON THE EMERGENCY LANDING FIELD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 2, 1991 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Wise, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7816D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5462
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT HAD JUST DEPARTED THE AIRPORT ON AN IFR FLIGHT AND WAS CLIMBING THROUGH 5,500 FEET WHEN THE AIRCRAFT SUDDENLY LOST SIGNIFICANT POWER. HE IMMEDIATELY PERFORMED THE EMERGENCY PROCEDURES FOR LOSS OF POWER BUT COULD NOT CORRECT THE SITUATION. WITH INSUFFICIENT POWER TO RETURN TO HIS DEPARTURE FIELD, HE ELECTED TO LAND ON A RECLAIMED STRIP MINE. ON TOUCHDOWN, THE NOSE LANDING GEAR BROKE AWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT TIPPED ON ITS NOSE AND CAME TO REST INVERTED CAUSING SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. SUBSEQUENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED DAMAGE IN THE NUMBER THREE CYLINDER CAUSED BY A BROKEN EXHAUST VALVE.
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
- Flight time: 347 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 284 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 1990
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: DKX Knoxville TN
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.