Beech BE-55 (T42A) accident near Chesapeake, Virginia, July 18, 2000
On July 18, 2000 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Beech BE-55 (T42A), registered N26DS, was substantially damaged in an accident near Chesapeake, Virginia (Chesapeake Municipal 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 misjudgment of his altitude/clearance above the runway during the aborted takeoff which resulted in an improper flare for landing. A factor in the accident was the pilot's premature rotation during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 18, 2000 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Chesapeake, Virginia · Chesapeake Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-55 (T42A) BE-55 (T42
- Registration
- N26DS · registry record · serial TC-1324
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After applying and achieving full takeoff power, the pilot released the brakes and began the takeoff roll down the runway. The pilot said he perceived a less than 'usual' rate of acceleration, a slight yaw to the right, and decided to abort the takeoff. He reported that he misjudged his altitude, lowered the nose, and struck the nose landing gear on the runway. The nose gear separated, the main gear collapsed, and both propellers struck the runway as the airplane skidded to a stop. Both propellers displayed similar twisting, bending, and chordwise scratching. Examination of the airplane and the right engine revealed no mechanical anomalies. According to the airplane's Operating Handbook, lift off speed for the airplane was 84 knots/97 miles-per-hour. In a written statement and a follow-up conversation, the pilot confirmed that his lift off speed was 87 miles-per-hour. He said that due to the engine conversion performance upgrade, the performance parameters were different from the airplane manufacturer's published numbers. During a telephone conversation, the test pilot for the engine conversion manufacturer stated that the placarded performance figures for the airplane remained the same. He said, '...you just get there a whole lot quicker.' Interpolation of performance charts in the pilot's operating handbook revealed the Accelerate - Stop distance for the airplane that day was 3,500 feet. The departure runway was 4,200 feet long.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 5,558 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 5,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,900 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 17, 1999; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,100 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO 550E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPK at 11:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from ORF, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.