Amateur-built WITTMAN BUTTERCUP accident near Monterey, Virginia, September 19, 2025
On September 19, 2025 at about 12:20 pm local time, a 2020 amateur-built WITTMAN BUTTERCUP, registered N365ED, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Monterey, Virginia (Hannah Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to attain a proper touchdown point while landing, which resulted in a runway overrun.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 2025 · about 12:20 pm local time
- Place
- Monterey, Virginia · Hannah Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built WITTMAN BUTTERCUP, built 2020
- Registration
- N365ED · no longer on the register · serial DAL002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that he overflew the airport to observe the runway and wind direction before beginning a final approach. During the landing on the 2,300-ft-long turf runway, the airplane floated and landed more than halfway down the runway. He applied the brakes but was unable to stop. The airplane exited the runway, descended an embankment, and impacted a vacant concrete building before coming to rest in a grassy area about 180 ft from the departure end of the runway. The airplane’s fuselage and left wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,649.4 hours in all; 197.8 in this make and model; 14.1 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 162,706 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 22, 2025
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 196.8 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 24, 2025; 35.6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 2,389 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CJR Culpeper VA at 11:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 2,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 am from SHD, 34 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSHD 191215Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 12/12 A3012 RMK AO2 T01160116
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Ground structure impacted by airplane
Photograph 2 – Skin separations and spar fractures noted to left wingThe 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 December 4, 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 | Investigation Photographs | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 2 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 10 pages | 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.