Dassault DA-20 accident near Lexington, Kentucky, August 14, 1997
On August 14, 1997 at about 2:50 am local time, a Dassault DA-20, registered N227R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lexington, Kentucky (Blue Grass Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot misjudged distance and altitude to the runway after transition from an instrument approach to a visual approach. Factors related to the accident were the rain, and uphill runway conditions at a dark night.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 14, 1997 · about 2:50 am local time
- Place
- Lexington, Kentucky · Blue Grass Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Dassault DA-20
- Registration
- N227R · registry record · serial 227
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Approximately 4 to 5 miles from the destination airport, and while conducting an ILS approach at night to runway 04, the pilot made visual contact with the airport, the runway lights, and the visual approach slope indicator. The approach was continued visually. Over the approach lights the airplane encountered heavy rain. The copilot observed the airplane was low on both the VASI and the airplane's HSI. The pilot applied power and initiated a go-around. The airplane landed hard on a grass bank, about 13 feet short of runway 4. Weather 9 minutes before the accident included winds from 310 degrees at 6 knots, with a visibility of 8 miles, light rain and mist. Weather 4 minutes after accident included winds from 310 degrees at 8 knots, with a visibility of 2 1/2 miles and heavy rain. The approach end of the runway was about 34 feet lower than the highest point of the runway, about 4,500 feet from the approach end. The Aeronautical Information Manual stated either upsloping runways, or rain on the windscreens, could create illusions that an aircraft was higher than actual altitude.
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; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,000 hours in all; 4,500 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 3,000 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 25,000 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 1, 1996; 808 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 28,660 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Ge CF700-2D (turbojet); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OKC Oklahoma City OK at 1:10 am
- Destination: LEX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 7,002 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,100 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:41 am from LEX
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC97LA165.