Beech BE-200 accident near Dulles, Virginia, October 26, 2004
On October 26, 2004 at about 1:43 pm local time, a Beech BE-200, registered N888TR, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dulles, Virginia (Washington Dulles Internationa airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper in-flight decision to continue the instrument approach and landing, which resulted in a collision with a sign. A factor was the below instrument approach landing minimum weather conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 26, 2004 · about 1:43 pm local time
- Place
- Dulles, Virginia · Washington Dulles Internationa · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech BE-200
- Registration
- N888TR · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot approached the destination airport and entered a holding pattern to wait for the weather to improve. After about 20 minutes, the weather seemed to improve, and because the pilot could occasionally see the ground, he decided to conduct an instrument approach. About 50 feet above decision height, the pilot had the runway environment in sight, and estimated the in-flight visibility was about 1/2 mile. During the landing, the pilot lost all forward visibility and executed a missed approach, but before a positive rate of climb could be established, the airplane touched down left of the runway on grass, and the left main landing gear struck a taxiway sign. About 10 feet past the sign, the airplane became airborne, and the pilot continued the missed approach. The pilot then diverted to an alternate airport, and during the landing the left main landing gear collapsed, resulting in substantial damage. The automated surface observation system and a witness both reported that the weather at the time of the accident was below the minimums prescribed in the instrument approach procedure.
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, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,630 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,092 as pilot in command; 1,137 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-41 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-41 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Twin County Aviation LLC
The flight
- Departed from: GSO Greensboro NC at 12:00 pm
- Destination: MRB Martinsburg WV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 010, 11,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Wind: from 340° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 250 ft; a few clouds at 100 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 1:51 pm from IAD
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.