Piper PA-28-181 accident near Chesterfield, Virginia, May 9, 1993
On May 9, 1993 at about 3:25 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N82836, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesterfield, Virginia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FATIGUE FAILURE OF THE ENGINE CRANKSHAFT AT THE NUMBER 1 JOURNAL. A FACTOR RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WAS UNSUITABLE TERRAIN IN THE EMERGENCY LANDING AREA.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 9, 1993 · about 3:25 am local time
- Place
- Chesterfield, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N82836 · registry record · serial 28-8190071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT AND TWO PASSENGERS WERE ON A RETURN FLIGHT, WHEN THERE WAS A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING CRUISE FLIGHT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, THE ENGINE BEGAN RUNNING ROUGH AFTER ABOUT ONE HOUR AND TEN MINUTES OF FLIGHT. HE RADIOED RICHMOND APPROACH CONTROL, AND HE WAS ADVISED THAT HE WAS 21 MILES FROM HIS DESTINATION. HE STATED THAT HE TRIED TO REACH CHESTERFIELD AIRPORT THAT WAS 10 MILES AWAY, BUT THE ENGINE SEIZED WITH A LOUD CLANKING SOUND. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE IN A WHEAT FIELD ABOUT 1/2 MILE FROM CHESTERFIELD. DURING THE FORCED LANDING, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR SEPARATED. AN EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED A BROKEN CRANKSHAFT. THE CRANKSHAFT WAS REMOVED AND SENT TO THE NTSB LAB IN WASHINGTON, DC. A METALLURGICAL EXAMINATION REVEALED THE CRANKSHAFT HAD FAILED, WHERE A FATIGUE CRACK HAD INITIATED ON THE SURFACE OF THE AFT RADIUS OF THE #1 JOURNAL.
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: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,500 hours in all; 7 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 17 in the last 30 days; 5,017 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,703 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 1993; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aero Industries
The flight
- Departed from: BCB Blacksburg VA at 10:05 pm
- Destination: RIC Richmond VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:25 am from RIC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N82836 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.