Grumman G-44 accident near Haymarket, Virginia, October 18, 1994
On October 18, 1994 at about 9:35 pm local time, a Grumman G-44, registered N54VT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Haymarket, Virginia (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 pilot's failure to extend the landing gear which resulted in a gear up landing. A factor was the pilot's diverted attention.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1994 · about 9:35 pm local time
- Place
- Haymarket, Virginia · Private
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Grumman G-44 · all G-44s on the register
- Registration
- N54VT · registry record · serial 1277
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed gearup while landing on his private farm airstrip. According to th pilot, 'As I approached the farm, I prepared for the landing by going through the pre-landing check. I elected to wait before putting the gear down. As I approached the landing, I was distracted by the bright sun glaring through the windshield, as the sun was setting, I was distracted, and did not put the gear down. The sun was bright enough that the gear light did not warn me of impending gearup landing.' The airplane came to rest inverted.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 11,832 hours in all; 1,082 in this make and model; 165 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 11,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,684 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1994; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-B1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HEF Culpeper VA at 9:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 1,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 315° at 5 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.