Cessna 140 and amateur-built 235 accident near Louisa, Virginia, September 5, 2009
On September 5, 2009 at about 4:30 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 140 (N3656V) and amateur-built 235 (N290W), were involved in the same accident near Louisa, Virginia (Louisa County/Freeman Field). 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 Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout.
The Cessna pilot's inadequate visual lookout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 5, 2009 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Louisa, Virginia · Louisa County/Freeman Field · map
- Type
- Accident · collision on the ground
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 140 A · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N3656V · registry record · serial 14927
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Amateur-built 235
- Registration
- N290W · no longer on the register · serial 115
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 140 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna was taxiing to the runway for takeoff when she impacted a Lancair that was holding short of the runway. The Cessna pilot had seen the Lancair in front of her, but briefly lost sight of it prior to the collision. Following the collision, both pilots shut down their airplanes and exited without incident. They observed that the Cessna's propeller had struck the right horizontal stabilizer and empennage of the Lancair several times, resulting in substantial damage to the Lancair.
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 NTSB's narrative for the amateur-built 235 final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped Cessna was taxiing to the runway for takeoff when she impacted a Lancair that was holding short of the runway. The Cessna pilot had seen the Lancair in front of her, but briefly lost sight of it prior to the collision. Following the collision, both pilots shut down their airplanes and exited without incident. They observed that the Cessna's propeller had struck the right horizontal stabilizer and empennage of the Lancair several times, resulting in substantial damage to the Lancair.
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 for the Cessna 140 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,875 hours in all; 1,600 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LKU Louisa VA
- Destination: LKU Louisa VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 12:20 pm from LKU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
The factual record for the amateur-built 235 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during taxi (to runway) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other aircraft › Pilot of other aircraft
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LKU Louisa VA
- Destination: LKU Louisa VA
- Flight plan: none
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.