Alon A2 accident near Abingdon, Virginia, September 13, 2021
On September 13, 2021 at about 1:47 pm local time, a 1967 Alon A2, registered N5644F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abingdon, Virginia (Virginia Highlands airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The failure of a nosewheel steering actuator arm, which resulted in a loss of control during the landing rollout.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 2021 · about 1:47 pm local time
- Place
- Abingdon, Virginia · Virginia Highlands · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Alon A2, built 1967 · all A2s on the register
- Registration
- N5644F · no longer on the register · serial A-244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing rollout, as the nosewheel touched down, the airplane turned about 30° to the left. He applied right rudder; however, the airplane did not respond. As the airplane departed the runway into the wet grass, he applied the brakes, which “had little effect.” The airplane struck an embankment, nosed over, and sustained substantial damage to the horizontal and vertical stabilizers. Examination of the airplane revealed that one of the nosewheel steering actuator arms was fractured.
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
- 552330 during descent - emergency
- 552230 during descent - emergency
- 552300 during descent - emergency
- 552470 during descent - emergency
- 552096 during descent - emergency
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Landing gear steering system › Failure
Pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea, single-engine land, none, APLN, none
- Flight time: 3,150 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: July 24, 2020
- Medical certificate: class 2
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,954 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, August 16, 2021
- Maximum gross weight: 1,450 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental C90-16F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operating certificate: in the vicinity
The flight
- Departed from: LHQ Lancaster OH at 11:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 4,471 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°C, dew point 64°C
- Altimeter: 30.33 inHg
- Observation at 9:35 am from VJI
Weather report (METAR): KVJI 131335Z AUTO 25004KT 10SM CLR 19/18 A3033 RMK AO2 T01930179
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ERA21LA358.