# Accident 20001010039279A: Beech B24R, Forkunion, VA, October 10, 2000

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: October 10, 2000, 14:00 local time
- Place: Forkunion, VA
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.7603° N, 78.2594° W: From the FAA, an estimate near the named town, within about 3 miles
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.7603&lon=-78.2594&mi=10
- Aircraft: N68HW, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N68HW-2004-10-25) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Beech B24R (registry code 1151253, https://openairdocs.org/model/beech-b24r) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BEECH B24R
- Reported engine: LYC IO360A1B6
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 865 total, 35 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB NYC01LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA008) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20001010039279A

## Narrative

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

(-23) PILOT ATTEMPTED A LANDING ON GRASS RUNWAY. LANDING TECHNIQUE CAUSED OVERLOAD OF NOSE GEAR DRAG BRACE AND SUBSEQUENT FAILURE. NOSE GEAR PARTIALLY RETRACTED. THIS CAUSED THE LOSS OF NOSE WHEEL STEERING. A/C MADE A UNCOMMANDED RIGHT TURN, RAN OFF THE RIGHT SIDE OF RUNWAY INTO TREE LINE. (.4) ON OCTOBER 10, 2000, ABOUT 1400 EASTERN DAYLIGHT TIME, A BEECH BE-23-B24R, N68HW, WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED WHILE LANDING AT THE F.U.M.A. AIRPORT, FORK UNION, VIRGINIA. THE CERTIFICATED PRIVATE PILOT AND PASSENGER WERE NOT INJURED. VISUAL METEOROLOGICAL CONDITIONS PREVAILED AND NO FLIGHT PLAN WAS FILED FOR THE PERSONAL FLIGHT CONDUCTED UNDER 14 CFR PART 91. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, HE WAS LANDING ON RUNWAY 34, A 3,575-FOOT LONG, 100 FOOT WIDE, GRASS STRIP. HE STATED THAT, WHILE FLARING, "WHEN YOU DROP THE NOSE, THE RUNWAY IS HIGHER THAN NORMAL." THE AIRPLANE TOUCHED DOWN ON ITS MAIN LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO A DIRT ROAD THAT CROSSED THE RUNWAY, FOLLOWED BY THE NOSE GEAR TOUCHING DOWN ABOUT 18 FEET FARTHER. THE PILOT FELT THE NOSE GEAR FAIL AND ATTEMPTED TO KEEP THE NOSE OF THE AIRPLANE OFF THE GROUND. THE AIRPLANE THEN VEERED TO THE RIGHT, IMPACTED A TREE AND CAME TO REST IN A WOODED ARE         A. A FEDERAL AVIATION ADMINISTRATION INSPECTOR EXAMINED FRACTURED PIECES OF THE NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY, WHICH WERE FOUND ON THE GROUND PRIOR TO THE DIRT ROAD THAT CROSSED THE RUNWAY. THE INSPECTOR DID NOT OBSERVE ANY BEACH MARKS, FRACTURE LINES, CORROSION, OR PROGRESSIVE SCORING ON THE FRACTURE SURFACES. THE INSPECTOR ADDED THAT THE FRACTURE SURFACES WERE "CLEAN, TYPICAL OF OVERLOAD FAILURE." THE INSPECTOR ADDITIONALLY STATED THAT THE RUNWAY HAD A DOWN-SLOPING CROWN ON BOTH ENDS OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT DID NOT REPORT ANY PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE NOSE GEAR AND THAT THE TURF WAS IN GOOD CONDITION. THE PILOT SAID HE HAD LANDED THE AIRPLANE ON GRASS STRIPS "MANY TIMES" IN THE PAST. THE WINDS REPORTED AT A NEARBY AIRPORT WERE FROM 290 DEGREES AT 5 KNOTS.

## 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 NYC01LA008](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/NYC01LA008), Oct 10, 2000: Beech BE-23-B24R (N68HW), Fork Union, VA, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot's inadequate flare which resulted in a hard landing. A factor related to the accident was the uneven landing area condition.

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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