# Accident 20260714008689A: Babcock Rowland A MONTANA COYOTE, Fredericksburg, VA, July 14, 2026

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 14, 2026, 11:05 local time
- Place: Fredericksburg, VA
- Airport: Shannon
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Landing: Approach
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 38.2707° N, 77.4443° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=38.2707&lon=-77.4443&mi=10
- Aircraft: N448VQ, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N448VQ) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Babcock Rowland A MONTANA COYOTE (registry code 05641MV, https://openairdocs.org/model/babcock-rowland-a-montana-coyote) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming O-320-D2G (registry code 42154, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-o-320-d2g) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: BABCOCK ROWLAND A MONTANA COYOTE
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 669 total, 7 in this make and model, 7 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN26FA253](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26FA253) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20260714008689A

## Narrative

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

PER ADS-B DATA, PILOT TOOK OFF WEST, EXITED THE PATTERN TO THE SOUTH CLIMBING TO ABOUT 1500', TURNED BACK TO THE AIRPORT WHILE DESCENDING TO ABOUT 400', ENTEREND THE PATTERN ON A LEFT DOWNWIND ABOUT 400' AND 60 MPH. TURNED BASE AT 300'-400' AND 60 MPH, TURNED FINAL AT 200'-300' AND 60 MPH. ON FINAL DESCENDED TO ABOUT 200' AT 55 MPH THEN SECURITY CAMERA SHOWS THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING DROP, NOSE AND LEFT WING PITCH UP, AIRCRAFT TURNS RIGHT INTO A VERTICLE NOSE DOWN SPIRAL. SECOND SECURITY CAMERA PICKS UP THE AIRPLANE IMPACTING GROUND NEARLY STRAIGHT DOWN, SLIGHTLY RIGHT WING FIRST.  POH/CHECKLIST FOUND AFTER THE ACCIDENT SHOWED STALL SPEED AT GROSS TAKEOFF WEIGHT TO BE 38 MPH. FLIGHT TEST CARD FOUND DURING INVESTIGATION SHOWED

INVESTIGATION FOUND VARIOUS (APRX SEVEN-NINE) CONTROL SURFACE HARDWARD LOOSE (WITH ONE LOCKING HARDWARE MISSING). HOWEVER, ALL CONTROL SURFACE TO CONTROL STICK CONTINUITY WAS CONFIRMED AND APPEARED TO BE OPERABLE.

ENGINE INVESTIGATION FOUND IT TO BE IN AN OPERATIONAL CONDITION. PLUS, TWO WITNESSES DESCRIBED HEARING THE ENGINE RUNNING AND ONE DESCRIBING THE ENGINE BEING THROTTLED UP AS THE WING BEGAN TO DROP. GROUND DAMAGE TO THE PROP AND WITNESS MARKS ON THE GROUND ALSO APPEAR TO SHOW THE ENGINE WAS UNDER POWER AT IMPACT.

## 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 CEN26FA253](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN26FA253), Jul 14, 2026: Montana Coyote (N448VQ), Fredericksburg, VA, substantial damage, 1 fatal, investigation ongoing

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.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.