Culpeper Regional Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Culpeper, Virginia 22714
Saturday, April 27, 1996 15:30 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

The newly licensed private pilot stated that he flew over the uncontrolled airport and did not notice any appreciable wind. He then decided to land to the northeast on runway 4. The pilot stated that he landed on the center of the runway, but the airplane began to drift to the left. He knew the airplane was drifting to the left and wanted to apply right rudder but actually applied left rudder and possibly some brake by mistake. No weather was recorded at the airport, but a large commercial airport to the northeast reported winds from 300 magnetic at 14 knots at the time of the accident.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The pilot's improper compensation for the crosswind.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 4/27/1996
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1530
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City CULPEPER
Event State VIRGINIA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 22714
Event Date Year 1996
Event Date Month 4
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport CULPEPER REGIONAL
Event Location Nearest Airport ID W49
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles --
Degrees magnetic from airport --
Airport Elevation 313
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1451 Eastern Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 50
Weather Observation Facility ID IAD
Elevation of weather observation facility 313
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 32
Time Zone of the weather observation EST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 0
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Clear
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Unknown
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 25
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 16
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -1
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 300
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 14
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 30
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 4
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 1952
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date Apr 27 1996 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1545
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information IMAGE
Date of most recent change to record Dec 8 2000 9:56AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N7546G
NTSB Number IAD96LA069
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172L
Aircraft Series Identifier 172L
Aircraft Serial Number 17259246
Certified Max Gross Weight 2300
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Annual
Date of Last Inspection Mar 28 1996 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection 17
Airframe Hours 3763
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name RAIDER AVIATION, INC
Aircraft Owner Street Address PO BOX 112
Aircraft Owner City MT. PLEASANT
Aircraft Owner State TN
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 38474
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name
Operator Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? Yes
Operator Street Address
Operator City
Operator State
Operator Country
Operator Zip code
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Personal
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event No
Departure Airport Code BLF
Departure City BLUEFIELD
Departure State WV
Departure Country
Departure Time 1200
Departure Time Zone EST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code W49
Destination City
Destination State VA
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:34AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 4
Runway Length 4002
Runway Width 75
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --