Piper PA-22-108 accident near South Boston, Virginia, June 16, 2006
On June 16, 2006 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-108, registered N5045Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near South Boston, Virginia (William M Tuck airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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, which resulted in a collision with a rising embankment. A factor in the accident was the pilot's lack of recent flight experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2006 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- South Boston, Virginia · William M Tuck · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-108 · all PA-22-108s on the register
- Registration
- N5045Z · registry record · serial 22-8667
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Upon touchdown, the airplane swerved, departed the runway, and struck a small embankment. An examination of the airplane by a Federal Aviation Administration inspector revealed no mechanical anomalies or deficiencies. Examination of pilot records revealed that his last logbook entry was dated August 1979. The pilot reported to the inspector that he had recently purchased the airplane, had no recent flight experience, and had not received any instruction in preparation for the flight.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 760 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Last flight review: March 1, 1981
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,700 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2005
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W78 South Boston VA at 3:00 pm
- Destination: W78 South Boston VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 4,011 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,500 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from KDAN, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.