2004 Hendrick Motorsports aircraft crash
The forward fuselage and left engine of the aircraft after the accident | |
| Accident | |
|---|---|
| Date | October 24, 2004 |
| Summary | Controlled flight into terrain in inclement weather due to pilot error |
| Site |
|
| Aircraft | |
| A Beechcraft Super King Air 200, similar to the one involved in the crash | |
| Aircraft type | Beechcraft Super King Air 200 |
| Operator | Hendrick Motorsports |
| Registration | N501RH |
| Flight origin | Concord Regional Airport Concord, North Carolina |
| Destination | Blue Ridge Airport Martinsville, Virginia |
| Passengers | 10 |
| Crew | 2 |
| Fatalities | 12 |
| Survivors | 0 |
On October 24, 2004, a Beechcraft Super King Air 200 aircraft, registered N501RH and owned by NASCAR team Hendrick Motorsports, crashed into mountainous terrain in Stuart, Virginia, during a missed approach to Blue Ridge Airport in Martinsville, Virginia. The aircraft was transporting eight passengers and two flight crew to Martinsville so they could attend the NASCAR event at Martinsville Speedway that afternoon.
All twelve people on board were killed; among them, members of the Hendrick family including John Hendrick, president of Hendrick Motorsports, his twin daughters, and Ricky Hendrick, former Busch Series driver and heir to the Hendrick empire. Hendrick Motorsports staff involved includes Kimberly and Jennifer Hendrick, General Manager Jeff Turner, and chief engine builder Randy Dorton. The pilots were Richard Tracy and Elizabeth Morrison. Other passengers include Joe Jackson, an executive at DuPont and Scott Lathram, Tony Stewart's pilot.