Jetstream 4101 accident near Charlottesville, Virginia, December 30, 2000
On December 30, 2000 at about 3:34 am local time, a Jetstream 4101, registered N323UE, was substantially damaged in an accident near Charlottesville, Virginia (Charlottesville-Albermarle airport). It was flown under scheduled airline rules (Part 121). 1 person had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The captain's improper application of power after responding to a beta warning light during landing rollout, which resulted in an excessive rollout speed and an inability to stop the airplane before it reached the end of the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 30, 2000 · about 3:34 am local time
- Place
- Charlottesville, Virginia · Charlottesville-Albermarle · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 17 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Jetstream 4101
- Registration
- N323UE · no longer on the register · serial 41059
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight · scheduled airline rules (Part 121)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The twin-engine turbo-prop airplane touched down about 1,900 feet beyond the approach end of the 6,000-foot runway. During the rollout, the pilot reduced power by pulling the power levers aft, to the flight idle stop. He then depressed the latch levers, and pulled the power levers further aft, beyond the flight idle stop, through the beta range, into the reverse range. During the power reduction, the pilot noticed, and responded to a red beta light indication. Guidance from both the manufacturer and the operator prohibited the use of reverse thrust on the ground with a red beta light illuminated. The pilot pushed the power levers forward of the reverse range, and inadvertently continued through the beta range, where aerodynamic braking was optimum. The power levers continued beyond the flight idle gate into flight idle, a positive thrust setting. The airplane continued to the departure end of the runway in a skid, and departed the runway and taxiway in a skidding turn. The airplane dropped over a 60-foot embankment, and came to rest at the bottom. The computed landing distance for the airplane over a 50-foot obstacle was 3,900 feet, with braking and ground idle (beta) only; no reverse thrust applied. Ground-taxi testing after the accident revealed that the airplane could reach groundspeeds upwards of 85 knots with the power levers at idle, and the condition levers in the flight position. Simulator testing, based on FDR data, consistently resulted in runway overruns. Examination of the airplane and component testing revealed no mechanical anomalies. Review of the beta light indicating system revealed that illumination of the red beta light on the ground was not an emergency situation, but only indicated a switch malfunction. In addition, a loss of the reverse capability would have had little effect on computed stopping distance, and none at all in the United States, where performance credit for reverse thrust was not permitted.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,050 hours in all; 1,425 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command; 1,000 on instruments
- Last flight review: June 10, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,818 hours in all; 68 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 32 in the last 30 days; 4,500 as pilot in command; 3,751 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 14,456 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 11, 2000; 104.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 24,110 lb
- Seats: 31
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Garrett TPE33114GR807 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Garrett TPE33114HR807 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: IAD Washington DC at 3:00 am
- Destination: CHO Charlottesville VA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 21, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.84 inHg
- Observation at 3:53 pm from CHO, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 14 |
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.