Beech 36 accident near Richmond, Virginia, July 28, 2019
On July 28, 2019 at about 5:10 pm local time, a 2000 Beech 36, registered N343AB, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (aborted after touchdown) near Richmond, Virginia (Richmond Executive-Chesterfiel 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
The pilot's failure to maintain lateral control and attain sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain during an attempted go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2019 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Richmond, Virginia · Richmond Executive-Chesterfiel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech 36 A36, built 2000 · all 36s on the register
- Registration
- N343AB · registry record · serial E-3343
- 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, during landing and just before touchdown, the stall warning horn sounded but that he briefly thought it was the "gear warning annunciator." Thinking he had not lowered the landing gear, he rapidly increased the throttle to produce full engine power in an attempt to go-around. However, he did not apply sufficient right rudder inputs, and the airplane deviated to the left and drifted over grass past the edge of the asphalt runway. Further, the airplane had not attained sufficient altitude to clear rising terrain, and the propeller tips hit the terrain, the engines stopped, and the airplane slid on the grass. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the lower fuselage. Additionally, the pilot reported that he should have relied on the "three in the green" before attempting a go-around. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions 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
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (aborted after touchdown)
- Collision during takeoff/land during landing (aborted after touchdown) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Lateral/bank control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Sloped/uneven terrain › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 273.1 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 14.3 in the last 90 days; 9.6 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: May 17, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 545.2 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 15, 2019
- Maximum gross weight: 3,149 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-550-B (piston); 570 hours total
- Operator: Ponderosa 343 Llc
The flight
- Departed from: JZI Charleston SC at 3:00 pm
- Destination: FCI Richmond VA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 33, 5,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.17 inHg
- Observation at 4:56 pm from KFCI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on December 10, 2019. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo | PDF, 1 page | 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.