Univair 7GC-AA accident near Garner, Virginia, December 6, 1998
On December 6, 1998 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Univair 7GC-AA, registered N31253, was substantially damaged in an accident near Garner, Virginia (Garner Field). 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
A jammed right wheel for undetermined reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 6, 1998 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Garner, Virginia · Garner Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Univair 7GC-AA
- Registration
- N31253 · no longer on the register · serial 250-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After releasing a glider, the pilot preformed a left spiral to lose altitude, and entered the traffic pattern. After completing the downwind and base legs of the traffic pattern, the pilot established the airplane on an offset final for the runway. The airplane touched down on the first 1/3 of the runway and started to roll out. During rollout, the pilot 'tapped' the brakes and felt the airplane pull to the right. The pilot then 'tapped' the left brake and the airplane straightened out, but when the left brake pressure was removed the airplane once again turned to the right. Because of a right crosswind, the pilot thought the right turn was the airplane trying to weathervane, so he added full left rudder, which had no effect. With full left rudder, the tailwheel off the ground, and approximately 35 mph of airspeed, the pilot reapplied the left brake. When the left brake was applied, the airplane stopped abruptly and nosed over. After the accident, while the airplane was still inverted maintenance personnel had difficulty rotating the right tire by hand, but once it started to rotate, it did so freely. There were no mechanical failures with the right wheel assembly.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 24,538 hours in all; 203 in this make and model; 1,893 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 20,050 as pilot in command; 1,412 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,193 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 5, 1998; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,600 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 279° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from ORF, 27 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N31253 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.