Navion NAVION accident near Newburyport, Massachusetts, August 31, 2022
On August 31, 2022 at about 3:15 pm local time, a 1948 Navion NAVION, registered N4913K, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Newburyport, Massachusetts (Plum Island 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 excessive application of brakes while landing, which resulted in a nose gear collapse.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 31, 2022 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Newburyport, Massachusetts · Plum Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Navion NAVION, built 1948
- Registration
- N4913K · registry record · serial NAV-4-1913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the landing roll, the nose gear collapsed, and the airplane departed the runway, substantially damaging the fuselage and engine mounts. The pilot reported that he applied the brakes upon touchdown for a short field landing and believed the nose gear collapsed due to “pushing down the nose.” A postaccident examination of the landing gear system revealed no anomalies 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
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,000 hours in all; 1,200 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: unk
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,286 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental E-185-3 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Runway 28, 2,105 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.70 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from BVY, 13 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KBVY 311453Z 28007KT 10SM CLR 25/18 A2970 RMK AO2 SLP052 T02500183 56009
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 December 5, 2022. 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 | Memorandum for Record - No 6120 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Memorandum for Record - FAA Inspector | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Investigative Photographs | PDF, 2 pages | 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.