Beech D50C accident near Somerville, Virginia, August 23, 1987
On August 23, 1987 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Beech D50C, registered N81CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Somerville, Virginia (Hartwood airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- August 23, 1987 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Somerville, Virginia · Hartwood
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech D50C · all D50Cs on the register
- Registration
- N81CA · registry record · serial DH260
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NOSE GEAR PREMATURELY RETRACTED AND THE PROPS CONTACTED THE GRAVEL RUNWAY DURING THE TAKEOFF INITIAL CLIMB. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO CONTINUE THE TAKEOFF AND THE ACFT SETTLED INTO TREES OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY. POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION FAILED TO REVEAL THE CAUSE OF THE GEAR RETRACTION. TWO DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR AND HAD TO MANUALLY HAND PUMP THE GEAR DOWN. ON THE DAY BEFORE THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT INSPECTED AND LUBRICATED THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM.
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; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,120 hours in all; 305 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 2,100 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,597 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 16, 1986; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,300 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming GO-480-C2D6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hartwood Aviation INC
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,500 ft by 30 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 20 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.