Beech V35B and Piper PA-28-140 mid-air collision near Sumerduck, Virginia, May 28, 2012
On May 28, 2012 at about 8:04 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Beech V35B (N6658R) and Piper PA-28-140 (N23SC), were involved in a mid-air collision near Sumerduck, Virginia. 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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
- May 28, 2012 · about 8:04 pm local time
- Place
- Sumerduck, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Beech V35B · all V35Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6658R · no longer on the register · serial D-10323
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N23SC · registry record · serial 28-21217
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Beech V35B preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 28, 2012, about 1604 eastern daylight time, a Beech V35B, N6658R, and a Piper PA-28-140, N23SC, collided in flight in the vicinity of Sumerduck, Virginia. The Beech was destroyed, and the pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured; the Piper was substantially damaged, and the pilot was seriously injured. Neither of the local flights was operating on a flight plan, and both were being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Beech departed Warrenton-Fauquier Airport, Warrenton, Virginia, on a flight review for the private pilot, and the Piper departed Culpeper Regional Airport, Culpeper, Virginia, on a personal flight. The pilot/owner of the Beech was an employee of the NTSB, and the pilot/owner of the Piper was an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and by mutual agreement, the United States delegated the accident investigation to the government of Canada. The NTSB designated an accredited representative to the investigation on behalf of the United States, and the FAA designated an advisor to the accredited representative. The investigation is being conducted by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada under its statutes. Further information may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada Place du Centre 200 Promenade du Portage, 4th Floor Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1K8 Tel: 1 (800) 387-3557 Fax: 1 (819) 997-2239 Email: airops@tsb.gc.ca Web: http://www.tsb.gc.ca Occurrence Number: A12H0001 This report is for informational purposes only, and only contains information released by or provided to the government of Canada.
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 Piper PA-28-140 preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On May 28, 2012, about 1604 eastern daylight time, a Beech V35B, N6658R, and a Piper PA-28-140, N23SC, collided in flight in the vicinity of Sumerduck, Virginia. The Beech was destroyed, and the pilot and flight instructor were fatally injured; the Piper was substantially damaged, and the pilot was seriously injured. Neither of the local flights was operating on a flight plan, and both were being conducted under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91. Day visual meteorological conditions prevailed. The Beech departed Warrenton-Fauquier Airport, Warrenton, Virginia, on a flight review for the private pilot, and the Piper departed Culpeper Regional Airport, Culpeper, Virginia, on a personal flight. The pilot/owner of the Beech was an employee of the NTSB, and the pilot/owner of the Piper was an employee of the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). Under the provisions of Annex 13 to the Convention on International Civil Aviation and by mutual agreement, the United States delegated the accident investigation to the government of Canada. The NTSB designated an accredited representative to the investigation on behalf of the United States, and the FAA designated an advisor to the accredited representative. The investigation is being conducted by the Transportation Safety Board of Canada under its statutes. Further information may be obtained from: Transportation Safety Board of Canada Place du Centre 200 Promenade du Portage, 4th Floor Gatineau, Quebec K1A 1K8 Tel: 1 (800) 387-3557 Fax: 1 (819) 997-2239 Email: airops@tsb.gc.ca Web: http://www.tsb.gc.ca Occurrence Number: A12H0001 This report is for informational purposes only, and only contains information released by or provided to the government of Canada.
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 Beech V35B from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during maneuvering defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,649 hours in all; 1,516 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 6, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,034 hours in all
- Last flight review: January 14, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Cont Motor IO 520 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: HWY Warrenton VA
- Destination: HWY Warrenton VA
- Flight plan: not recorded
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 79°F (26°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from HWY, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-140 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Midair collision during enroute (cruise) defining event
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,134 hours in all; 500 in this make and model
- Last flight review: October 3, 2010
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming 0-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CJR Culpeper VA
- Destination: CJR Culpeper 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.