Raytheon BE-390 accident near Rockland, Maine, September 15, 2005
On September 15, 2005 at about 1:00 am local time, a Raytheon BE-390, registered N701DF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rockland, Maine (Knox County Regional Airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 15, 2005 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Rockland, Maine · Knox County Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Raytheon BE-390
- Registration
- N701DF · no longer on the register · serial RB-59
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, as the airplane touched down, the left main landing gear tire "blew." The airplane veered left, and the pilot lifted it back off the ground. The airplane then banked to the right, experienced an "ugly flare," and lost airspeed before impacting the ground "hard" on the right main landing gear, causing substantial damage. The pilot reported no mechanical deficiencies with the airplane, nor did a postaccident examination of the airframe, to include the left tire, reveal any.
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: 7,100 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 6,800 as pilot in command; 3,300 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 1, 2004
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea
- Flight time: 10,500 hours in all
- Last flight review: January 1, 1900
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 375 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, December 1, 2004; 190 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Williams International FJ 44-2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Williams International FJ 44-2 (turbofan); 0 hours total
- Operator: J.I. Kislak Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: ACY Atlantic City NJ at 10:30 pm
- Destination: RKD Rockland ME
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 13, 5,007 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 080° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
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.