Beech BE65 accident near Wakefield, Virginia, February 27, 1986
On February 27, 1986 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Beech BE65, registered N1QV, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wakefield, Virginia (Wakefield). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 27, 1986 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Wakefield, Virginia · Wakefield · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE65
- Registration
- N1QV · no longer on the register · serial LC-183
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT LANDED SHORT OF THE RWY AFTER LOSS OF POWER ON BOTH ENGINES. CONTACT WITH A DIRT BANK SHEARED THE LANDING GEAR AND THE ACFT SLID ONTO & DOWN THE RWY FOR ABOUT 436 FT BEFORE STOPPING. THE PLT SAID THE FUEL GAUGES WERE 1/4 ON MAINS AND 1/8 ON AVG TANKS. THE PLT HAD MADE 3 SHORT TRIPS BEFORE THIS FLT WITHOUT REFUELING. DURING POST ACC INVEST NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE LINES OR TANKS. UPON ADDITION OF FUEL BOTH ENGINES RAN NORMALLY.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 9,783 hours in all; 100 in this make and model; 6 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 9,571 as pilot in command; 6 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,710 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,700 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IGSO480A1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: W57 Gloucester VA at 1:40 pm
- Destination: AKQ Wakefield VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.