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BFO95LA090

1995-08-20 · PETERSBURG, Virginia, United States · None · 1 aircraft · Status: Completed

Airport PTB

Current FAA registration · N2446V

Make / Model
PIPER-INSUA L-21
Year of manufacture
1983 · 12 years old at event
Engine
LYCOMING 0-320 SERIES (180 hp)
Seats / Engines
2 seats · 1 engine
Last airworthiness date
19961112
ADS-B equipped
Yes — Mode-S A24219

Source: FAA Aircraft Registry (releasable master file).

Aircraft involved

Probable cause & findings

The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the airplane during the landing roll.

Factual narrative

On August 30, 1995, about 1445 eastern daylight time, an Insua L-21 homebuilt airplane, N2446V, piloted by the registered owner, sustained substantial damage when the right wing struck the ground during the landing roll in Petersburg, Virginia. The private pilot and one passenger, the sole occupants, reported no injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the pleasure flight, no flight plan was filed. The flight operated under 14 CFR Part 91, and originated in Florence, South Carolina approximately 1115. The pilot stated that he landed at Petersburg, Virginia to refuel, and intended to continue on to Cambridge, Maryland. He reported that he landed on runway 5, but "...lost control on touchdown...plane ground looped to [the] left... ." The right main landing gear collapsed and the right wing struck the ground. The pilot reported that the winds were calm, and that there was no mechanical malfunction. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOST CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER TOUCHDOWN, AND THE AIRPLANE GROUND LOOPED TO THE LEFT. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED, AND THE RIGHT WING STRUCK THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM AND THERE WAS NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION. Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database (Pre-2008 Archive) Retrieved: 2026-02-12

Verbatim from NTSB's published report. Source file NTSB_1995_BFO95LA090.txt. Findings + structured fields enriched from FAA avall.mdb. Full investigation docket on data.ntsb.gov ↗.