# NTSB IAD76AI070: Piper PA-28, Big Island, VA, May 3, 1976

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Date: May 3, 1976
- Place: Big Island, VA · BIG ISLAND, VA
- Location: 37.5322° N, 79.3628° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Big Island, VA, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 3 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: DirectorBrief, May 17, 1976
- NTSB case key (mKey): 152982
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=IAD76AI070
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD76AI070

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-0733   76/5/3    BIG ISLAND,VA       PIPER PA-28         CR-  1  0  0  NONCOMMERCIAL             PRIVATE, AGE 21, 93 TOTAL
        TIME - 1250                    N4503X              PX-  2  0  0  PLEASURE/PERSONAL TRANSP  HOURS, 11 IN TYPE, NOT
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          LYNCHBURG,VA                LOCAL
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLISION WITH GROUND/WATER: CONTROLLED                  IN FLIGHT: OTHER
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - IMPROPER IN-FLIGHT DECISIONS OR PLANNING
           PILOT IN COMMAND - ATTEMPTED OPERATION BEYOND EXPERIENCE/ABILITY LEVEL
           PILOT IN COMMAND - MISJUDGED DISTANCE,SPEED,AND ALTITUDE
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - DOWNDRAFT,UPDRAFTS
        WEATHER BRIEFING - NO RECORD OF BRIEFING RECEIVED
        WEATHER FORECAST - UNKNOWN/NOT REPORTED
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          CLEAR                                                    UNLIMITED
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          5 OR OVER(UNLIMITED)                                     NONE
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          NONE                                                      54
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          240                                                       8
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          VFR                                                      NONE
         FIRE AFTER IMPACT
        REMARKS- HIGH WINDS OVR MTNS.TOURIST OBSERVED ACFT CIRCLING AT ALT BELOW OBSERVATION POINT.
```

## Sequence of events

- Enroute-change of cruise level

## Aircraft

- Registration: N4503X, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N4503X-1976-06-17) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-181 (registry code 7102807, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Damage: Destroyed
- FAA reports: 19760503011169A (https://openairdocs.org/incident/19760503011169A) (OpenAirDocs)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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From OpenAirDocs.org, an independent open copy of NTSB and FAA data. The NTSB's own report is the official record of an investigation.