Piper PA22 accident near South Boston, Virginia, May 15, 2017
On May 15, 2017 at about 8:00 pm local time, a 1956 Piper PA22, registered N31JP, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near South Boston, Virginia (William M Tuck airport). It was an other work-use 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 maintain directional control during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 15, 2017 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- South Boston, Virginia · William M Tuck · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA22 150, built 1956 · all PA22s on the register
- Registration
- N31JP · registry record · serial 22-3913
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, during the landing roll, the tailwheel-equipped airplane veered to the left, and he "could not keep the [airplane] on [the] runway using full right rudder." The airplane exited the left side of the runway, continued to turn to the left about 180°, hit an embankment, and the right main landing gear collapsed. Subsequently, the right wing impacted the ground, and the airplane came to rest nose down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that, about the time of the accident, the wind was from 060° at 7 knots. The pilot landed on runway 19.
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 defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing
- Runway excursion during landing
- Landing gear collapse during landing
- Nose over/nose down during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › (general) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,100 hours in all; 41 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 4,590 as pilot in command; 3,950 on instruments
- Last flight review: October 1, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,863.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 10, 2017
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 788 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 8NC8 Durham NC at 7:00 pm
- Destination: W78 South Boston VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,003 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 61°F (16°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from KDAN, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on June 28, 2017. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Accident Photo (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.