Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) F-35 DRAKEN accident near Oceana, Virginia, June 26, 1998
On June 26, 1998 at about 1:45 pm local time, a Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) F-35 DRAKEN, registered N156XD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Oceana, Virginia (Nas Oceana 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-in-command's inadequate fuel management which led to fuel exhaustion and subsequent loss of engine power. A related factor was the pilot's unfamiliarity with the fuel system.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 26, 1998 · about 1:45 pm local time
- Place
- Oceana, Virginia · Nas Oceana · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Saab-Scania Ab (Saab) F-35 DRAKEN F-35 DRAKE
- Registration
- N156XD · registry record · serial 35-1156
- 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 was conducting the second of two support flights for a U.S. Navy ship. On each flight, he made three passes. Following the last pass of the second flight, the pilot made a 5g pull-up. Once 'on top', he noted that the airplane's fuel quantity was rapidly going down. The pilot declared an emergency, and climbed the airplane to 35,000 feet, where the engine flamed out. He established a 300-knot glide, and was vectored to a naval air station. He stated that the airplane either reached, or was above three 'key' positions, and on airspeed. However, after the third key, he realized the airplane would not reach a runway, so he successfully ejected less than 50 feet above the ground. The airplane impacted a plowed field, and remained upright until it skidded to a stop. There was no post-impact fire, and there was no evidence of fuel leakage, nor of the failure of any airframe component. The second flight was about 15 minutes longer than the first. With the airplane's capacitance fuel indicating system; high speed flight fuel quantity indications could be inaccurate. The 2,700-hour pilot had 43 hours of flight time in make and model.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,470 hours in all; 43 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 2,435 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,096 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 27, 1998; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 27,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Volvo AVON RM-6C (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Williamsburg VA at 12:58 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23R, 8,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:45 pm from NTU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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 IAD98LA073.