Piper PA-22-160 Tri-Pacer, N8130D: Accident occurred July 02, 2016 in Harrisonburg, Rockingham County, Virginia

Additional Participating Entity: 
Federal Aviation Administration / Flight Standards District Office;   Harrisonburg, Virginia 

Aviation Accident Final Report -  National Transportation Safety Board: https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

Investigation Docket -  National Transportation Safety Board: https://dms.ntsb.gov/pubdms

Aviation Accident Data Summary  -  National Transportation Safety Board:   https://app.ntsb.gov/pdf

http://registry.faa.gov/N8130D

NTSB Identification: ERA16CA239
14 CFR Part 91: General Aviation
Accident occurred Saturday, July 02, 2016 in Harrisonburg, VA
Probable Cause Approval Date: 04/10/2017
Aircraft: PIPER PA 22-160, registration: N8130D
Injuries: 1 Serious, 1 Minor.

NTSB investigators used data provided by various entities, including, but not limited to, the Federal Aviation Administration and/or the operator and did not travel in support of this investigation to prepare this aircraft accident report.

The pilot/owner of the single-engine, tailwheel-equipped airplane was attempting to depart from a private turf runway. During the takeoff, a wind gust contacted the airplane from the left side, and the airplane veered to the right. The airplane's right wing and propeller then struck a fence post. The pilot tried to fly the airplane back to the runway, but it impacted terrain and slid into a tree. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. Examination of the wreckage revealed substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The recorded weather at an airport located about 15 miles from the accident site, about the time of the accident, included a left quartering headwind at 9 knots.

The National Transportation Safety Board determines the probable cause(s) of this accident as follows:
The pilot's loss of directional control during takeoff in gusting crosswind conditions.

          

ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (WHSV) -- Rescuers responded to a report of an airplane crash in farmland northwest of Eastern Mennonite University shortly before 7 p.m. Saturday.

Initial reports spoke of a Piper Cub style aircraft (a small, single-engine type) that crashed and came to rest against a tree in the 3400 block of Fort Lynne Road.

WHSV reporter Janson Silvers went there and tweeted photos and video confirming this. Silvers also filmed AirCare landing nearby.

Responders told Silvers that there were two occupants: Walter Embree, age 65, and his 22-year-old son, Paul Embree. Walter Embree was airlifted to UVA Medical Center with serious looking but non-life-threatening injuries. 

Paul Embree was sent to Sentara RMH. One of the two was trapped in the wreckage and and needed to by cut out. The other had cuts and bruises.

Virginia State Police are handling the initial investigation.

"Preliminary findings are that the pilot was attempting to take off from a private landing strip and failed establish adequate speed to gain any altitude," Trooper Pyanoe told Silvers.

The white Piper plane has a blue horizontal stripe on its tail and has some other blue trim.

This is a developing story. WHSV will update the information as new detail comes in from our inquiries and from official sources.

Story and video:  http://www.whsv.com 



ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va (WVIR) -  

The pilot of a small plane that crashed on take-off Saturday evening in Rockingham County is being treated for injuries at the University of Virginia Medical Center.

State police say the single-engine, fixed-wing aircraft plane stalled at the end of the runway on a private air strip located northwest of Harrisonburg and crashed into a tree.

The 65-year-old pilot was airlifted to UVA.

His 22-year-old son was a passenger in the plane. He was treated for injuries at the scene.

State police were assisted by Rockingham County Sheriff’s Deputies as well as Harrisonburg Fire and Rescue and Rockingham Fire and Rescue.

State police say the cause of the crash is still under investigation.

Original article can be found here: http://www.nbc29.com



ROCKINGHAM COUNTY, Va. (NEWSPLEX) -- A close brush with death for a valley pilot when his plane took a nose dive shortly after take-off.

Rockingham County Fire crews had to work quickly on the small Piper-type plane to get the pilot out.

He was then flown to the UVA Medical Center with serious injuries.

Virginia State Police confirmed the pilot is 65-year-old Walter Embree of Harrisonburg.

Officers say his 22-year-old son was also in the plane but suffered minor injuries and was taken to Sentara RMH.

According to officers on scene, it looks like Embree was trying to take-off form his private air strip but was not able to gain enough speed and crashed into some trees.

Story and video:  http://www.newsplex.com