Piper PA-28-180 accident near Ashland, Virginia, June 9, 1989
On June 9, 1989 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N33320, was destroyed in an accident near Ashland, Virginia (Hanover County Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
IMPROPER GO-AROUND BY THE PILOT BY NOT MAINTAINING A CLIMB AND OBTAINING PROPER ALTITUDE BEFORE TURNING. THE PILOT'S POOR APPROACH AND THE TREES WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1989 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Virginia · Hanover County Muni
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N33320 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7505132
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES RPRTD THE ACFT WAS HIGH & FAST ON FINAL APCH, THEN IT LEVELED OFF ABOUT 15 FT ABOVE THE RWY. AFTER TRAVELING A SHORT DISTANCE, THE ACFT BEGAN CLIMBING AS IF THE PLT WAS MAKING A GO-AROUND & IT ENTERED A LEFT TURN OVR TREES BESIDETHE RWY. WITNESSES SAID THEY DID NOT HEAR ANY CHANGE IN ENG RPM WHEN THE ACFT BEGAN THE CLIMBING TURN. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT DSCNDD, HIT TWO TREES (ON AN EASTERLY HDG) & CAME TO REST APRX 225 YDS NORTHEAST OF RWY 16. THE 1ST TREE WAS STRUCK BY THE ACFT'S RGT WING, 28 FT AGL & ABOUT 35 YDS FROM WHERE THE MAIN WRECKAGE CAME TO REST. RPRTDLY, THE ACFT WAS TURNING LEFT WHEN IT IMPACTED THE 1ST TREE. PROPELLER SLASH MARKS WERE FOUND AT THE BASE OF THE 2ND TREE, ABOUT 4 YDS FROM THE MAIN WRECKAGE; THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE CURLED BY IMPACT DAMAGE. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 317 hours in all; 305 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,365 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1988; 131 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: A & S Flying Services
The flight
- Departed from: 6A8 Lebanon VA at 5:20 pm
- Destination: W83
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 16, 4,650 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from W83
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.