Piper PA28R accident near Newport News, Virginia, December 15, 2012
On December 15, 2012 at about 7:31 pm local time, a Piper PA28R, registered N3915T, was substantially damaged in an accident during standing (engine(s) start-up) near Newport News, Virginia (Newport News International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to properly monitor the flight controls (toe brake pedals) during engine start.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 15, 2012 · about 7:31 pm local time
- Place
- Newport News, Virginia · Newport News International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28R 180 · all PA28Rs on the register
- Registration
- N3915T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-30251
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he positioned his feet on the toe brake pedals during engine start. After starting, the engine accelerated to a higher rpm than the pilot expected, and the airplane began to roll forward. The pilot pressed down with his feet, but the airplane continued to roll. After reducing the throttle to idle, the pilot attempted to steer the airplane with the rudder pedals, but they were fixed and would not move. As the airplane neared a hangar, the pilot shut down the engine with the fuel mixture control and turned the magneto switch off. The airplane then impacted the hangar, resulting in substantial damage to both wings. Postaccident examination revealed no anomalies with the rudder pedal or toe brake systems. In a postaccident statement, the pilot offered that, rather than placing his feet on the brake pedals, he inadvertently pressed on the torque tube assembly, which is part of the airframe structure located above the toe brake pedals.
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
What happened, in order
- Ground collision during standing (engine(s) start-up) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring equip/instruments › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 199 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 163 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 14, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,133.5 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 2, 2012
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Rick Aviation, Inc
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA
- Destination: PHF Newport News VA
- Flight plan: VFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 7:00 pm from PHF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on January 28, 2013. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Photo 1 - Damage to Airplane (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 4 | Photo 2 - Rudder/brake Pedals and Torque Tube (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.