Piper PA-32-300 accident near Richmond, Virginia, April 25, 2007
On April 25, 2007 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N679DM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Richmond, Virginia (Richmond International 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The improper installation of the right brake assembly by maintenance personnel.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 25, 2007 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, Virginia · Richmond International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N679DM · registry record · serial 32-7940244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was taxiing after refueling, when a fire began in the vicinity of the right main landing gear. The pilot shut down the engine, and the occupants exited the airplane. An annual inspection had been completed on the airplane the previous day, and heavy-duty brakes were installed. As part of the installation, a shim insulator and a main gear axel spacer needed to be installed; however, both were missing, which resulted in a frictional build-up of heat during the taxi.
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: 116 hours in all; 20 in this make and model
- Last flight review: February 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Last flight review: March 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,804 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2007; 2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RIC Richmond VA
- Destination: SAV Savannah FL
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 250 ft; a few clouds at 70 ft
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 5:45 pm from RIC
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC07LA104.