North American T 6 accident near Chesapeake, Virginia, December 5, 2017
On December 5, 2017 at about 7:00 pm local time, a 1950 North American T 6, registered N2996Q, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Chesapeake, Virginia (Hampton Roads Executive 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 loss of directional control during the landing roll, which resulted in a runway excursion and nose over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 5, 2017 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Virginia · Hampton Roads Executive · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- North American T 6 G, built 1950 · all T 6s on the register
- Registration
- N2996Q · no longer on the register · serial 49-3071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane, the airplane approached runway 10 in a "significant right crosswind," which diminished when the airplane touched down. The airplane touched down first on the right main wheel and the tailwheel about 70 knots airspeed. When the left main wheel touched down, the airplane veered to the right. The pilot applied left rudder and left brake and maintained aft stick pressure; however, the inputs were ineffective. The airplane exited the right side of the runway and nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing, the vertical stabilizer and the rudder. The METAR at the accident airport reported that about the time of the accident the wind was from 180° at 7kts. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident 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
- Attempted remediation/recovery during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 19,700 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 17,800 as pilot in command; 4,480 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 14, 2016
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Pratt & Whitney R-1340AN-1 (piston); 9,863 hours total
- Operator: Shadow Ventures LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KPVG Chesapeake VA at 5:50 pm
- Destination: KPVG Chesapeake VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,350 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 6,500 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 7:46 pm from KPVG
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 May 7, 2018. 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 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N2996Q the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.