Piper J5A accident near Richmond, Virginia, May 6, 2007
On May 6, 2007 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper J5A, registered N33180, was substantially damaged in an accident near Richmond, Virginia (Hanover County Municipal airport). It was a banner-towing 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 improper positioning of the elevator flight control surface by the pilot-in-command while taxiing with a tailwind, resulting in the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 6, 2007 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, Virginia · Hanover County Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J5A · all J5As on the register
- Registration
- N33180 · registry record · serial 5-456
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Banner-towing flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was landed uneventfully and while taxiing off the runway with a tailwind and incorrect elevator control input (up elevator), the airplane nosed over.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,659 hours in all; 596 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 1,448 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,200 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 2006
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-C2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Van Wagner Aerial Media LLC
The flight
- Departed from: KOFP Richmond VA
- Destination: KOFP Richmond VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 14 knots, gusting 21
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.31 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from KOFP
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.
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.