Rockwell 690C accident near Summerville, West Virginia, December 4, 1990
On December 4, 1990 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Rockwell 690C, registered N840MD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Summerville, West Virginia (Summersville airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRCRAFT CONTROL DURING THE LANDING FLARE/TOUCHDOWN. THE TURBULENT WEATHER WAS A RELATED FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 4, 1990 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Summerville, West Virginia · Summersville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Rockwell 690C
- Registration
- N840MD · no longer on the register · serial 11693
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRPLANE BEGAN TO BUFFET AND STALLED WHILE ON SHORT FINAL. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE RUNWAY NOSE FIRST AND THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE AIRPLANE SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AND SKIDDED DOWN A WOODED EMBANKMENT LOCATED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE AIRPORT. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE DURING THE DESCENT, AND THERE WAS A RIGHT 10 KNOT CROSSWIND, WITH GUSTS TO 15 KNOTS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,900 hours in all; 1,100 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 3,739 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 10,325 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE-331-5 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: EKN Elkins WV at 12:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 3,020 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 am from CRW
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 6 |
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.