Beech A200 accident near Bridgewater, Virginia, September 25, 2008
On September 25, 2008 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Beech A200, registered N30W, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Bridgewater, Virginia (Bridgewater Air Park airport). It was a flight test 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 decision to land with a tailwind on a short, wet runway, resulting in landing long and runway overrun. Contributing to the accident was the operator’s lack of standard operating procedures for test flights.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 25, 2008 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Bridgewater, Virginia · Bridgewater Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Beech A200 · all A200s on the register
- Registration
- N30W · registry record · serial BC-72
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight test · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot, an employee of the United States Department of Interior (DOI), was conducting a post-maintenance test flight of the airplane, which was on long term lease to the DOI. For the flight, despite the presence of drizzle, a tailwind, and obstacles, the pilot elected to use a down-sloping, non-grooved runway with a 41:1 approach slope and a displaced threshold, with an available landing length of 2,377 feet. The pilot executed a go-around after touchdown on his first landing attempt, stating that something did not feel right with the landing. The pilot then attempted another landing, touching down approximately 700 feet down the runway before applying reverse thrust and brakes. Because the runway was wet, the braking action was poor and he realized that he was probably going to overrun the end of the runway. However, he elected not to go around due to the airplane’s low indicated airspeed, the configuration of the airplane, the remaining runway, the rising terrain, and the presence of houses. The airplane then rolled off the pavement on to grass, where the braking effectiveness was further reduced, before rolling down a steep embankment and into a river. The airplane sustained substantial damage to its wing structure during the accident sequence. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or abnormalities. Review of the DOI's National Business Center, Aviation Management Directorate's Operational Policy Memorandums (OPMs) did not reveal any guidance that pertained to test flights. Additionally, the "Aviation Management – Document Library Index"—which included the OPMs, information bulletins, handbooks, and reference guides—included no single operations manual containing all of the information for ready reference by the DOI's pilots, nor was a mandate discovered which would require them to have such information in their possession during flight operations.
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
What happened, in order
- Landing area overshoot during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Runway excursion during landing defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on equipment
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Effect on equipment
- cause Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Decision related to condition
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Wet › Decision related to condition
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- factor Organizational issues › Management › Policy/procedure › Availability of policy/proc › Operator
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 5,500 in this make and model; 200 in the last 90 days; 42 in the last 30 days; 11,500 as pilot in command; 500 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 30, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 16,448 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 7, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney Canada PT-6 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Operator: Dynamic Aviation Group Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: VBW Bridgewater VA at 9:00 pm
- Destination: VBW Bridgewater VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 2,745 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 2,300 ft
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.22 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from SHD, 7 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.