# Accident 19980829022319A: Beech D45, Quantico, VA, August 29, 1998

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: August 29, 1998, 13:10 local time
- Place: Quantico, VA
- Airport: Quantico Mcaf/Turner Field/Bas
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: To Init Climb(1st Pwr Reduct)
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.5191° N, 77.2904° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.5191&lon=-77.2904&mi=10
- Aircraft: N669MC, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N669MC-2001-07-18) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech D-45 (registry code 1152012, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-d-45) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH D45
- Reported engine: CONT IO470*
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 2
- Pilot flight hours: 16,416 total, 243 in this make and model
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB IAD98FA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/19980829022319A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ACFT CRASHED AND EXPLODED INTO THE POTOMAC RIVER ON TAKEOFF FROM RWY 20 AT THE QUANTICO MARINE CORPS AIR FACILITY, (-23) ON AUG. 29, 1998 ABOUT 1310 EST, THE T-34B TOOK-OFF ON RUNWAY 20. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS BETWEEN 150 TO 200 FEET AT MIDFIELD AND DID NOT CLIMB ANY HIGHER. NO BACK-FIRING OR SMOKE WAS REPORTED. WITNESSES STATED THE NOSE OF THE T-34 ROSE UP, THEN DROPPED. THE AIRCRAFT THEN ROLLED TO THE LEFT, IMPACTING THE POTOMAC RIVER IN ABOUT A 30 DEGREE NOSE DOWN ANGLE. THE AIRCRAFT BURSTED INTO FLAMES UPON IMPACT, FLOATED ABOUT 15 MIN AND SANK IN 10-12 FEET OF WATER. (.4) THE AIRPLANE DEPARTED ON A LOCAL TRAINING FLIGHT. A FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR IN THE REAR SEAT WAS CHECKING OUT THE FRONT SEAT PILOT WHO WAS NEW TO THE AIRPLANE.  WITNESSES REPORTED THAT AFTER THE AIRPLANE BECAME AIRBORNE, IT DID NOT CLIMB AS EXPECTED.  WHILE OVER THE WATER AND BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, AT AN ESTIMATED ALTITUDE OF 150 TO 200 FEET ABOVE THE WATER, THE AIRPLANE WAS OBSERVED TO ENTER A SHALLOW LEFT TURN.  THE BANK INCREASED, THE NOSE DROPPED AND THE AIRPLANE STRUCK THE WATER.  THE CFI WAS FOUND WITH HIS SHOULDER HARNESS NOT CONNECTED.  NO EVIDENCE OF PRE-EXISTING MECHANI CAL FAILURE WAS FOUND WITH THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB IAD98FA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/IAD98FA103), Aug 29, 1998: Beech T-34B (N669MC), Quantico, VA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: The failure of the flight instructor to maintain airspeed which resulted in an inadvertent stall/spin.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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