Raytheon Aircraft Company BE-200 accident near Poplar, Montana, January 18, 2023
On January 18, 2023 at about 3:18 pm local time, a 2004 Raytheon Aircraft Company BE-200, registered N200EJ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (IFR final approach) near Poplar, Montana (Poplar Muni airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 3 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 adequate airspeed and descent rate during the landing approach, which resulted in an impact with terrain short of the runway threshold.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 18, 2023 · about 3:18 pm local time
- Place
- Poplar, Montana · Poplar Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Raytheon Aircraft Company BE-200, built 2004
- Registration
- N200EJ · no longer on the register · serial BB-1884
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that while on approach for landing, the airplane started to lose altitude quickly. After the co-pilot noticed the high decent rate and the slow airspeed, he advised the pilot to add power. However, the airplane continued to descend and impacted terrain in a right wing and nose low attitude, about 30 yards short of the runway approach threshold, which resulted in substantial damage to the right wing. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Loss of control in flight during approach (IFR final approach) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent/approach/glide path › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Flight crew
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,242 hours in all; 2,068 in this make and model; 92 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 5,892 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 29, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Co-pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,301 hours in all; 4,137 in this make and model; 84 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 9,753 as pilot in command; 1,120 on instruments
- Last flight review: January 11, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,538.7 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 19, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 12,500 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42 (turboprop); 4,455 hours total
- Engine 2: Pratt & Whitney PT6A-42 (turboprop); 4,455 hours total
- Operator: Lynch Flying Service INC DBA
The flight
- Departed from: KBIL Billings MT at 2:22 pm
- Destination: PO1 Poplar MT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 9, 4,403 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 400 ft
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.90 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 am from KPO1
Weather report (METAR): METAR KPO1 181500Z AUTO 11009KT 3SM BR OVC004 M03/M03 A2990
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on March 15, 2023. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 3 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120 Revised | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.