Piper PA-25-225 accident near Chesapeake, Virginia, August 26, 1993
On August 26, 1993 at about 1:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-25-225, registered N9556P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesapeake, Virginia. It was an aerial application (crop spraying) flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). 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 loosening of the crankshaft geardrive as a resulted of a sheared bolt and guide pin which resulted in the loss of engine power. A factor was a forced landing on a crop field.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 26, 1993 · about 1:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Virginia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-25-225 · all PA-25-225s on the register
- Registration
- N9556P · no longer on the register · serial 25-7405670
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Aerial application (crop spraying) flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS CONDUCTING A CROP SPRAYING FLIGHT, WHEN THE ENGINE SUDDENLY LOST POWER. HE WAS TOO LOW TO ATTEMPT A RESTART, AND HE INITIATED A FORCED LANDING ONTO A FIELD WITH TALL CROPS. THE AIRPLANE NOSED OVER DURING LANDING. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED 'THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR TO BE LOOSE AND THE ALIGNMENT PIN AND ATTACHMENT BOLT WERE SHEARED. THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR AND MAGNETO DRIVE GEAR HAD TEN TEETH BROKEN OFF.'
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,900 hours in all; 3,000 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 75 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,552 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1992; 300 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B2C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Pungo VA at 12:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
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.