Jabiru Aircraft PTY LTD J170-D accident near Winchester, Virginia, May 3, 2021
On May 3, 2021 at about 3:36 pm local time, a 2016 Jabiru Aircraft PTY LTD J170-D, registered N772J, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Winchester, Virginia (Winchester Rgnl airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s loss of directional control on landing. Contributing to the outcome was the pilot’s decision to continue the aborted landing after the airplane had departed the runway surface.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 3, 2021 · about 3:36 pm local time
- Place
- Winchester, Virginia · Winchester Rgnl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Jabiru Aircraft PTY LTD J170-D, built 2016
- Registration
- N772J · no longer on the register · serial 366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the student pilot, she was practicing soft field and short field landings. She made five uneventful short field landings and was going to switch to soft field landings. While on approach, she noticed the airplane was left of centerline therefore during touchdown, she applied right rudder and right aileron. The airplane turned right, then turned left, and was heading off the runway. She then decided to abort the landing; however, the nose wheel was not straight and when she applied full power, the airplane veered off the left side of the runway and toward a row of hangars. The airplane struck the door of a hangar with the right wing, propeller, and then the left wing before coming to a stop on the ramp, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and engine mounts. The owner reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (aborted after touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 85 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 11 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 236 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Jabiru 2200A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast; a few clouds
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 11:35 am from OKV
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 August 31, 2021. 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Memorandum for Record A�� Telephone Interview, Pilot | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Investigative Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Video File | video | 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.