Cessna 172N accident near Head Waters, Virginia, June 1, 1995
On June 1, 1995 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N3065E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Head Waters, Virginia (Private Airstrip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's poor planning/decision making in the attempted departure. Contributing factors are the wet, recently mowed grass airstrip, and the embankment/downhill grade encountered during the aborted takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 1, 1995 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Head Waters, Virginia · Private Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N3065E · registry record · serial 172-71425
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF FROM A WET, GRASS-COVERED, 1,800 FOOT-LONG, PRIVATE AIRSTRIP, THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF THEN SETTLED BACK ONTO THE GRASS STRIP. THE PILOTED ABORTED THE TAKEOFF ABOUT 1,000 FEET DOWN THE AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT INTENTIONALLY ANGLED THE AIRPLANE OFF THE AIRSTRIP INTO TALL GRASS TO HELP STOP THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND ITS NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE PILOT STATED HE THOUGHT THE ENGINE DIDN'T SEEM TO BE DEVELOPING FULL POWER. POSTACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF PREIMPACT MECHANICAL ANOMALY.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 792 hours in all; 321 in this make and model; 28 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 697 as pilot in command; 172 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,134 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 21, 1995; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: HEF Manassas VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 1,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.