British Aerospace HS 125 700A accident near Akron, Ohio, November 10, 2015
On November 10, 2015 at about 7:52 pm local time, a 1979 British Aerospace HS 125 700A, registered N237WR, was destroyed in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Akron, Ohio (Akron Fullton Internatinonal airport). It was flown under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 9 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight crew's mismanagement of the approach and multiple deviations from company standard operating procedures, which placed the airplane in an unsafe situation and led to an unstabilized approach, a descent below minimum descent altitude without visual contact with the runway environment, and an aerodynamic stall. Contributing to the accident were Execuflight's casual attitude toward compliance with standards; its inadequate hiring, training, and operational oversight of the flight crew; the company's lack of a formal safety program; and the Federal Aviation Administration's insufficient oversight of the company's training program and flight operations.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 10, 2015 · about 7:52 pm local time
- Place
- Akron, Ohio · Akron Fullton Internatinonal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 9 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- British Aerospace HS 125 700A, built 1979 · all HS 125 700As on the register
- Registration
- N237WR · no longer on the register · serial NA-0252
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The Safety Board's full report is available at http://www.ntsb.gov/investigations/AccidentReports/Pages/aviation.aspx. The Aircraft Accident Report number is NTSB/AAR-16/03. On November 10, 2015, about 1453 eastern standard time (EST), Execuflight flight 1526, a British Aerospace HS 125-700A (Hawker 700A), N237WR, departed controlled flight while on a nonprecision localizer approach to runway 25 at Akron Fulton International Airport (AKR) and impacted a four-unit apartment building in Akron, Ohio. The captain, first officer, and seven passengers died; no one on the ground was injured. The airplane was destroyed by impact forces and postcrash fire. The airplane was registered to Rais Group International NC LLC and operated by Execuflight under the provisions of 14 Code of Federal Regulations (CFR) Part 135 as an on-demand charter flight. Instrument meteorological conditions (IMC) prevailed, and an instrument flight rules (IFR) flight plan was filed. The flight departed from Dayton-Wright Brothers Airport (MGY), Dayton, Ohio, about 1413 and was destined for AKR.
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
What happened, in order
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (IFR final approach)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Flight crew
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
- cause Organizational issues › Development › Selection/certification/testing › Personnel selection/training › Operator
- cause Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Operator
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Safety programs › Adequacy of safety program › Operator
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of reg compliance › FAA/Regulator
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of operation › FAA/Regulator
- Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Adequacy of policy/proc › Manufacturer
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Data recorders (flight/maint) › Damaged/degraded
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Indicating/recording systems › Data recorders (flight/maint) › Inadequate inspection
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,170 hours in all; 1,020 in this make and model; 118 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 3,414 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 6, 2015
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,382 hours in all; 482 in this make and model; 78 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 3,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,875 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 12, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 24,800 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Honeywell TFE731-3R-1H (turbofan); 11,541 hours total
- Engine 2: Honeywell TFE731-3DR-1H (turbofan); 14,099 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: MGY Dayton OH at 7:13 pm
- Destination: AKR Akron OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 6,336 ft by 159 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 1.5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 600 ft
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.95 inHg
- Observation at 7:38 pm from AKR, 2 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.