Starship Enterprise accident near Addison, Texas, October 17, 2024
On October 17, 2024 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 2013 Starship Enterprise, registered N903SC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Addison, Texas (Addison Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Foreign object debris damage to the ventral stabilizer.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 17, 2024 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Addison, Texas · Addison Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Starship Enterprise, built 2013
- Registration
- N903SC · registry record · serial NCC-1701
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While conducting a post-flight walkaround inspection, the pilot discovered two through penetrations of the ventral vertical stabilizer and damage to three propellor blade leading edges, likely from foreign object debris. The stabilizer sustained substantial damage. The source of the debris could not be determined. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. This airplane is an exported former Beechcraft Starship 2000A that was issued a new special airworthiness certificate as an experimental Enterprise during import.
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
- Unknown or undetermined during unknown defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Debris/dirt/foreign object › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 4,150 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,020 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 2, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 15,010 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PTA-67A (turboprop); 4,343 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PTA-67A (turboprop); 3,248 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: IFR
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 13 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 pm from KADS
Weather report (METAR): METAR KADS 172047Z 15010KT 13SM SKC 21/M03 A3020=
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 21, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.