Piper PA-28-160 accident near Buckhannon, West Virginia, October 21, 2001
On October 21, 2001 at about 6:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-160, registered N5725W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Buckhannon, West Virginia (Upshur County Regional Airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's failure to maintain directional control while landing. A factor related to the accident were the gusting wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2001 · about 6:50 pm local time
- Place
- Buckhannon, West Virginia · Upshur County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-160 · all PA-28-160s on the register
- Registration
- N5725W · no longer on the register · serial 28-1299
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After two unsuccessful attempts to land on runway 29, due to crosswind conditions, the student pilot attempted a third landing. The airplane touched down about 400-600 feet beyond the runway threshold, and departed the right side of the runway onto the grass. The student pilot applied full power and attempted to abort the landing; however, when he raised the nose of the airplane, the stall warning horn sounded. The student pilot realized that he would not be able to climb over an embankment and aborted the takeoff. The airplane continued into the embankment, sheared off the nose gear, and came to rest upright. The pilot estimated the wind from 270 degrees at 20 knots, gusts to 25 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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 50 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 1 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,629 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 1, 2001; 105 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W22 Buckhannon WV at 6:00 pm
- Destination: CMH Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 7:51 pm from EKN, 11 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.