Cessna 172L accident near Winchester, Virginia, November 13, 2000
On November 13, 2000 at about 12:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N2843Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Winchester, Virginia (Winchester Regional Arpt airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain a pre-departure or en route weather briefing, which led to fuel exhaustion, after his destination and alternate airports were covered by fog. A factor was the fog.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 13, 2000 · about 12:50 pm local time
- Place
- Winchester, Virginia · Winchester Regional Arpt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N2843Q · no longer on the register · serial 17259834
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew for 2 hours and arrived after the airport had closed. Unable to obtain fuel, and with no ground transportation available, he elected to spent the night in the airplane. He departed at 0430 the following morning, and did not obtain a pre-departure or en route weather briefing. Low clouds covered his planned destination airport. He diverted to two other nearby airports, which were also covered by low clouds, and then returned to his destination airport, which was still covered by clouds. He contacted approach control, reported that he was low on fuel, and requested vectors to a nearby VFR airport. He was vectored toward an airport; however, the engine lost power prior to reaching it. The airplane was landed in a field about 2 miles from the airport. The pilot reported that at the time of the accident it was hazy and he could see the runway. He further added that the clouds came in immediately after the accident. A FAA inspector reported the fuel tanks were empty, and there was no evidence of fuel leakage or siphoning. The pilot estimated the airplane had been flown about 5 1/2 hours since the last refueling.
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; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 180 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 138 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,036 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 9, 2000; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DYL Doylestown PA at 9:30 am
- Destination: FRR Front Royal VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:01 pm from OKV, 2 miles away
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.