Piper PA-28-181 accident near Waynesboro, Virginia, August 11, 1994
On August 11, 1994 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8505E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Waynesboro, Virginia (Eagles Nest airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S MISJUDGEMENT OF SPEED AND DISTANCE WHICH RESULTED IN A LANDING OVERRUN. A CONTRIBUTING FACTOR IS THE PILOT'S DELAY IN INTIATING A GO-AROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 11, 1994 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Waynesboro, Virginia · Eagles Nest · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8505E · registry record · serial 28-7690176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH HE REALIZED THAT HIS GROUND SPEED WAS HIGHER THAN HIS AIRSPEED. HE STATED THAT AT AN ALTITUDE OF ABOUT 50 TO 100 FEET HE DECIDED TO GO-AROUND, BUT THE ENGINE SPUTTERED. THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN LONG AND EXITED THE RUNWAY COLLIDING WITH A FENCE. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE PILOT MADE AN EXTREMELY HIGH APPROACH, AND THE PILOT INITIATED A SLIP TO LOSE ALTITUDE. ANOTHER WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE WAS ABOUT 250 TO 400 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY DEPARTURE END WHEN IT TOUCHED DOWN. AN FAA AVIATION SAFETY INSPECTOR WHO EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE AND THE ACCIDENT SITE STATED THAT THE PILOT APPLIED THE BRAKES AFTER TOUCHING DOWN LONG, AND THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION WHEN HE EXAMINED THE AIRPLANE.
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
- Flight time: 109 hours in all; 4 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,090 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: White Sands Leasing INC.
The flight
- Departed from: GCE Georgetown SC at 6:35 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 6, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 2,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from SHD, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N8505E 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.