Piper PA-28-280 accident near Tangier Island, Virginia, May 24, 2006
On May 24, 2006 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-280, registered N5180L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tangier Island, Virginia (Tangier Island Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 during takeoff, which resulted in a runway excursion and collision with a ditch. A factor was the rough runway condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 2006 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tangier Island, Virginia · Tangier Island Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-280 · all PA-28-280s on the register
- Registration
- N5180L · registry record · serial 28-4466
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he initiated a takeoff roll on runway 02, a 2,950-foot-long, 75-foot-wide, asphalt runway. During rotation, the main landing gear traveled over bumps on the runway, and the airplane veered left. The pilot attempted to correct the airplane, but the main landing gear traveled over another series of bumps on the runway, and the airplane veered further left. The airplane subsequently traveled off the left side of the runway, and struck a ditch.
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
- Flight time: 126 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 65 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TGI Tangier Island VA
- Destination: PVG Portsmouth VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 2,950 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 5:40 pm from TGI, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.