Beech BE-23-B24R accident near Fork Union, Virginia, October 10, 2000
On October 10, 2000 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Beech BE-23-B24R, registered N68HW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fork Union, Virginia (F.U.M.A. Airport). 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 inadequate flare which resulted in a hard landing. A factor related to the accident was the uneven landing area condition.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 10, 2000 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Fork Union, Virginia · F.U.M.A. Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-23-B24R
- Registration
- N68HW · no longer on the register · serial MC-404
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane touched down on its main landing gear prior to a dirt road that crossed the runway, followed by the nose gear touching down about 18 feet farther. The pilot felt the nose gear fail and attempted to keep the nose of the airplane off the ground. The airplane then veered to the right, impacted a tree and came to rest in a wooded area. A Federal Aviation Administration Inspector examined fractured pieces of the nose wheel assembly, which were found on the ground prior to the dirt road that crossed the runway. The inspector did not observe any beach marks, fracture lines, corrosion, or progressive scoring on the fracture surfaces. The inspector added that the fracture surfaces were "clean, typical of overload failure." The inspector additionally stated that the runway had a down-sloping crown on both ends of the runway. The pilot did not report any previous problems with the nose gear and that the turf was in good condition. The pilot additionally stated that, while flaring, "when you drop the nose, the runway is higher than normal."
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 865 hours in all; 35 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,711 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2000; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ORF Norfolk VA at 3:15 pm
- Destination: VA36
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 3,575 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from CHO, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.