Cessna 414A accident near Ashland, Virginia, January 3, 1982
On January 3, 1982 at about 10:04 pm local time, a Cessna 414A, registered N2620L, was destroyed in an accident near Ashland, Virginia (Hanover County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 8 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 3, 1982 · about 10:04 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Virginia · Hanover County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 8 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 414A · all 414As on the register
- Registration
- N2620L · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT RECEIVED 2 WX BRIEFINGS, ONE ON THE EVENING BFR THE FLT, ANOTHER AT 1009 EST, WITHIN 3 HRS OF THE TKOF TIME. IFR CONDITIONS WERE FORCASTED AT THE UNCONTROLLED, DESTINATION ARPT. THE PLT FILED AN IFR FLT PLAN, BUT DID NOT LIST AN ALTERNATE ARPT. THE ACFT DEPARTED BOCA ROTON, FL AT 1257 EST. THE FLT WAS UNEVENTFUL EN ROUTE & ALL COMMUNICATIONS WERE NORMAL. DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT WAS CLEARED FOR A VOR 3 APCH TO RWY 16. THE MIN DSCNT ALT (MDA) FOR THE APCH WAS 800 FT MSL (595 FT AGL) AND THE MIN VIS WAS 1 MI. SVRL WITNESSES AT & NEAR THE ARPT SAW OR HEARD THE ACFT. THEY DESCRIBED THE ACFT AS CROSSING THE ARPT FROM THE WEST SIDE TO THE EAST. THOSE WHO SAW IT DESCRIBED IT TO BE APRX 150 TO 200 FT AGL, IN & OUT OF THE CLDS. REPORTEDLY, THE ACFT THEN CIRCLED & CROSSED THE ARPT AGAIN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT STRUCK AN 80 FT TREE, THEN IMPACTED THE GND IN A STEEP DESCENT. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF FAILURE OF MALFUNCTION OF THE AIRFRAME OR PWRPLNT BFR IMPACT. THE ACFT WAS ESTIMATED TO BE 46 LBS OVR THE MAX GROSS WT LMT DURING IMPACT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,809 hours in all; 250 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,750 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: C Boca Raton FL at 6:00 pm
- Destination: C Ashland VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 4,650 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 050° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 99°F (37°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.