Piper PA-18-105 accident near Lynchburg, Virginia, August 14, 2000
On August 14, 2000 at about 9:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-105, registered N189T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lynchburg, Virginia (Lynchburg Regional airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll-out.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 2000 · about 9:08 pm local time
- Place
- Lynchburg, Virginia · Lynchburg Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-105 · all PA-18-105s on the register
- Registration
- N189T · registry record · serial 18-2303
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During landing roll out on Runway 3, a 5,799-foot long, 150-foot wide asphalt runway, the airplane began to turn to the right. The pilot attempted to correct the right turn with full left rudder, but the airplane did not respond. The pilot then attempted to take-off and applied full throttle, which tightened the right turn. The pilot then reduced power, ground-looped, and exited the runway. During the ground-loop, the left wing tip contacted the ground and bent the rear wing spar. Examination of the airplane revealed that the left main wheel axle was bent inward and there was no evidence of corrosion or rust. There was no evidence of a mechanical malfunction. The winds at the airport were reported from 310 degrees at 4 knots.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 352 hours in all; 98 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days; 352 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,969 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 4, 1999; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming 0235-01 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W90 Forest VA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: LYH VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 5,799 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:54 pm from LYH
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 IAD00LA075.