Piper PA 32R-301 accident near Dulles, Virginia, February 21, 1999
On February 21, 1999 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Piper PA 32R-301, registered N3559U, was involved in an accident near Dulles, Virginia (Washington Dulles Int airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The FBO employee's diverted attention, resulting in an inadvertent encounter with a rotating propeller.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1999 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Dulles, Virginia · Washington Dulles Int · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA 32R-301 · all PA 32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N3559U · registry record · serial 32R-8019018
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A Signature Flight Support Employee was fatally injured when he came in contact with the rotating propeller of an airplane. The airplane was parked, with the engine operating, while the pilot transcribed the Automated Terminal Information Service (ATIS). The pilot reported that he removed the chock around the main landing gear, and placed the chock around the front landing gear in an 'L' position. Witnesses reported that the employee was focused on the front landing gear as he bent down into the propeller. Co-workers stated that the employee may have been distracted due to several domestic issues. The employee had been with the company for approximately 3 weeks, and had no prior aviation experience. Investigation of Signature Flight Support by state and federal agencies revealed no deficiencies in the training programs.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,597 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 172 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 10,798 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,537 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1998; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAD
- Destination: MGJ Montgomery NY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 330° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:51 pm from IAD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.