Piper PA-34-200 accident near Davis, West Virginia, February 16, 2004
On February 16, 2004 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N44LJ, was substantially damaged in an accident near Davis, West Virginia (Winwood Resort Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control after encountering a snow patch on the runway. A factor related to the accident was the snowdrift.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 2004 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Davis, West Virginia · Winwood Resort Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N44LJ · registry record · serial 34-7250298
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon arriving in the vicinity of the airport, the pilot circled the runway twice to determine the wind direction and runway conditions. The runway appeared to look clear, with a few ice patches on the surface, and snow mounds off to the sides. After touching down on the runway, the left landing gear assembly encountered a "low flat" snow patch, and the airplane began to pull to the left. The airplane continued off the side of the runway, and came to rest upright in a snow-covered field.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 470 hours in all; 175 in this make and model; 25 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: November 13, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,953 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 7, 2003
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKV Winchester VA at 6:08 pm
- Destination: WV62 Davis WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 06, 3,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Observation at 7:56 pm from W99
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.