Amateur-built Q200 accident near Newport News, Virginia, July 27, 1986
On July 27, 1986 at about 5:59 pm local time, a amateur-built Q200, registered N45CX, was destroyed in an accident near Newport News, Virginia (Patrick Henry airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- July 27, 1986 · about 5:59 pm local time
- Place
- Newport News, Virginia · Patrick Henry · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Q200
- Registration
- N45CX · registry record · serial 2830
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WENT OUT OF CONTROL AND CRASHED FROM APRX 100 AGL AFTER TAKEOFF. THE ACFT WAS ON A TEST FLT AND AFTER THE CRASH THE PLT SAID THAT THE ACFT WAS PULLING TO THE RT DURING TAKEOFF SO HE REDUCED POWER. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO PULL RT BEFORE NOSING DOWN TO GROUND IMPACT. FIRE DAMAGE DESTROYED THE ACFT WHICH HINDERED THE INVESTIGATION.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,187 hours in all; 2 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, March 25, 1985; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,250 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Conex, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PHF Newport News VA
- Destination: PHF Newport News VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 6,525 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:10 pm from PHF, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
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.