Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO accident near Ashland, Virginia, November 20, 2009
On November 20, 2009 at about 11:25 pm local time, a Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO, registered N319UA, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Ashland, Virginia (Hanover County Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate clearance from trees during the landing approach.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 2009 · about 11:25 pm local time
- Place
- Ashland, Virginia · Hanover County Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Costruzioni Aeronautiche Tecna P2004 BRAVO · all P2004 BRAVOs on the register
- Registration
- N319UA · registry record · serial 126
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, the purpose of the flight was to practice takeoffs and landings at night, and due to the obstructions below, the pilot flew the approaches at a “steep” angle. He had successfully completed about nine uneventful approaches and landings before the accident approach. During the accident approach the pilot noted some light turbulence and the airplane began to descend below the “normal” glide path. He added power and arrested the descent, but the airplane struck some trees. He noted that the airspeed or the pitch of the airplane did not change when the airplane struck trees. He made an uneventful landing, but during the post-flight inspection he noticed substantial damage to the leading edges of the wings and horizontal stabilizer. The pilot did not report any mechanical anomalies with the airplane. The winds reported at the airport about the time of the accident were calm.
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
- Collision during takeoff/land during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,328 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 1,187 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 12, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 350 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 28, 2009; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Heart Of Virginia Aviation, Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: KOFP Ashland VA at 10:40 pm
- Destination: KOFP Ashland VA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from KOFP
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.