This is preliminary information, subject to change, and may contain errors. Any errors in this report will be corrected when the final report has been completed.
https://registry.faa.gov/AircraftInquiry/Search/NNumberResult?nNumberTxt=N257BW
- History of Flight:
On December 18, 2025, at about 1015 local time, a Cessna 550 Citation II, N257BW, registered to GB Aviation Leasing LLC out of Mooresville, NC, was destroyed when it was involved in an accident at Statesville Regional Airport (SVH/KSVH), Statesville, North Carolina. The two pilots and four passengers sustained fatal injuries. The flight originated from Statesville, and was destined to Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport (SRQ/KSRQ), Sarasota, Florida. Daylight instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident.
According to preliminary Automatic Dependent Surveillance – Broadcast (ADS-B) data, at 1006:51, the airplane was seen departing runway 10 at KSVH and entered a climbing left turn to an altitude of 2,000 ft. According to the data, at 1007:36, the airplane reached 205 knots groundspeed, and at 1008:02, at the conclusion of the turn, the airplane had to decelerated to about 179 knots GS. At this point, the airplane entered a 1000 feet per minute (fpm) descent and the groundspeed continued to decay. At 1009:10, the airplane had descended to about 1325 ft and reached 160 knots GS when it started a climb back to 4,000 ft. At one point during this climb, the average rate was recorded at 5440 fpm. At 1015:33, the airplane started a left turn and continued to climb towards 4,400 ft. At 1011:00, the airplane stopped the climb at 154 knots GS, and entered a -2500 feet per minute (fpm) wide descending left hand turn. At 1011:53, the airplane was at 2475 ft, 248 knots groundspeed and at the conclusion of the turn when it entered another climb. At 1012:07, the airplane was at 3,000 ft, 192 knots GS when it entered a descent to 1,625 ft. At 1013:03, the airplane was at 1675 ft, 197 knots GS when it briefly climbed to 1,700 before starting a descent to 1,200 ft. At 1014:11, the airplane was at 1225 ft, 139 knots GS, when it entered a descending left hand turn to runway 28. At 1015:02, the airplane completed the turn, and was on course to runway 28. At this point, the airplane was at 975 ft, 106 knots GS, and descending 1200 feet per minute (fpm). The last ADS-B return was recorded at 825 ft and 0.29 mile (1,500 ft) short of the runway 28 threshold. The airplane was at 95 knots groundspeed and descending 100 feet per minute (fpm).
Nothing else is known at the moment.
- Pilot Information:
unknown.
- Airplane Information:
The accident aircraft, serial number 5500283, was manufactured in 1981. It was powered by two P&W Canada JT15D-4 engines.
- Wreckage and Impact Information:
The first identified point of impact were a group of downed trees located about 400 ft short of runway 28. The airplane continued across a road and through the airport perimeter fence, travelling across the grass, before it came to rest about 500 ft (down the runway) at the intersection of taxiway A and runway 28. The airplane came to rest upright and was totally consumed by a post crash fire.
- Airport Information:
Statesville Regional Airport is a public airport located about 3 miles southwest of Statesville, North Carolina. The airport field elevation was 967.8 ft. The airport features a single asphalt/grooved runway 10/28 that is 7003 x 100 ft long.
According to a Notice to Airmen (NOTAM), the runway 28 ILS/LOC was out.
- Weather:
(1) Brief:
A postaccident review of available meteorological data established that day instrument meteorological conditions prevailed at the accident site. At 0955 LT, the SVH automated surface observing system reported winds from 40 at 3 knots, 10 miles surface visibility, 3900 ft above ground level (agl) scattered ceiling, 5000 ft above ground level (agl) overcast ceiling, temperature 7°C, dew point 0°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.19. At 1015 LT, the SVH automated surface observing system reported a calm wind, 5 miles surface visibility, heavy drizzle, 1200 ft and 2200 ft above ground level (agl) broken ceiling, 5000 ft above ground level (agl) overcast ceiling, temperature 7°C, dew point 1°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of mercury. At 1035, about 20 minutes after the accident, the SVH automated surface observing system reported a calm wind, 1.75 mile surface visibility, heavy rain, a 400 ft above ground level (agl) scattered ceiling, a 1000 ft above ground level (agl) overcast ceiling, temperature 6°C, dew point 4°C, and an altimeter setting of 30.19 inches of mercury.
(2) METARs:
METAR KSVH 181455Z AUTO 04003KT 10SM SCT039 OVC050 07/00 A3019 RMK AO2 T00730000
METAR KSVH 181515Z AUTO 00000KT 5SM +DZ BKN012 BKN022 OVC050 07/01 A3019 RMK AO2 T00720010
METAR KSVH 181535Z AUTO 00000KT 1 3/4SM +RA SCT004 OVC010 06/04 A3019 RMK AO2 P0001 T00550035
(3) Area Forecast Discussion:
Area Forecast Discussion
National Weather Service Greenville-Spartanburg SC
610 AM EST Thu Dec 18 2025
.SYNOPSIS...
A cold front brings rain and gusty winds today into tonight before
drier conditions return behind the front early Friday morning. Gusty
winds linger through Friday before diminishing Friday evening.
Mostly dry conditions are expected this weekend before precipitation
chances return across the North Carolina mountains early next week.
&&
.NEAR TERM /THROUGH TONIGHT/...
As of 550 AM EDT Thursday:
Key Message #1: A cold front moves toward the area, bringing mostly
rain and a brief burst of snow for isolated locations in the
mountains.
An area of low pressure develops the northern CONUS, bringing a
trailing cold front through the Ohio/TN Valley and into the CWA.
Ahead of the front, moisture quickly returns throughout the night
and into the morning hours. For areas of the NC Piedmont and
portions of Upstate SC, this added moisture and S/SE surface winds
help to develop a few rounds of pre-frontal showers. There are a few
areas of the far western mountains that could also have a few
initial showers during the day. Guidance places the area of greatest
QPF response along and east of I-77 after sunrise, before showers
spread westward. Current model soundings show little in the way of
instability at the surface, with a minimal amount above a surface
boundary. There is a very slight chance (15%) of a rumble of thunder
in the NC Piedmont east of I-77, but confidence is low given the
current guidance lacking any mentionable instability. Showers become
even more widespread throughout tonight ahead of the front, expected
to come move in Friday morning (next period). Total rainfall for
this system through at least 7AM Friday is between 0.25"- 1.25",
with the higher amounts in the upslope regions of the western NC
mountains. Lastly, the exceptionally small chance of snow has been
mostly shunted with the latest guidance bringing in slightly warmer
temps. There still could be a quick mix of rain and snow for the
highest elevations late tonight, but confidence continues to
decrease. If anything were to fall, there`s less than a 30% chance
for any accumulations over 0.1". So, consider this a mostly rain
event.
Key Message #2: Gusty winds develop this evening through tonight,
especially at the higher elevations of the mountains.
Another part of this pre-frontal mess are the increased winds. As
per typical for the region, the trough swinging south brings strong
shear, especially with the CAA behind the front. For this, wind
gusts at the highest peaks look to increase toward daybreak, with
the potential for 35-45mph and 25-35mph elsewhere in the mountains.
Outside the mountains, gusts pick up through tonight, with gusts of
20-25mph likely. These winds are expected to continue to increase
past this forecast period and are discussed in the next section.
&&
.SHORT TERM /FRIDAY THROUGH SATURDAY NIGHT/...
As of 1230 AM Thursday...
Key Message #1: Wind Advisory in effect from 7 AM to 7 PM Friday for
Avery County as well as for elevations above 3,500 feet across the
majority of the North Carolina mountains, with the exceptions being
Henderson and Transylvania counties.
Gusty west/northwest winds will continue across the North Carolina
mountains behind a departing cold front on Friday. With gusts
expected to range from 45 to 55 mph in Avery County and above 3,500
feet in Madison, Yancey, Mitchell, Swain, Haywood, Buncombe, Graham,
Macon, and Jackson counties, a Wind Advisory was issued from 7 AM
Friday through 7 PM Friday. Opted to leave out Henderson and
Transylvania counties for now as gusts appear to remain below
advisory criteria. Winds will be gusty below 3,500 feet as well on
Friday but will remain below advisory criteria (less than 45 mph).
Gusts will gradually decrease late Friday afternoon into Friday
evening before diminishing late Friday night.
Key Message #2: Dry conditions and mostly sunny skies return Friday
and Saturday with gusty winds expected east of the mountains through
early Friday evening.
High pressure builds in behind the departing cold front from the
west Friday into Saturday allowing dry conditions to return area-
wide. Mostly sunny skies are expected each day. Gusty west/west-
northwest winds will continue east of the mountains on Friday behind
the front, ranging from 20 to 30 mph. Gusts will gradually decrease
late Friday afternoon, diminishing by early Friday evening. Highs
will end up a few degrees below normal across the mountains on
Friday, becoming a few to several degrees above normal Saturday.
Highs east of the mountains will end up a few degrees normal on both
Friday and Saturday. Lows Friday night will be near normal to just
below normal across the mountains and near normal to just above
normal east of the mountains. Lows Saturday night will end up ~4-8
degrees above normal thanks to increasing cloud cover.
&&
.LONG TERM /SUNDAY THROUGH WEDNESDAY/...
As of 1245 AM Thursday...
Key Message #1: Dry conditions will continue for most locations
through early next week, although some precipitation may return
across the North Carolina mountains at times.
A mostly dry cold front pushes across the forecast area early Sunday
morning with dry high pressure building in from the northwest behind
the departing front Sunday into Monday. The southwestern periphery
of the surface high appears to remain over the region Tuesday into
Wednesday keeping mostly dry conditions around for most locations.
However, global guidance sources depict moisture returning as it
rounds the western and northern periphery of the surface ridge
Tuesday into Wednesday, which would bring precipitation chances back
to portions of the North Carolina mountains. Confidence on exact
timing and coverage of precipitation remains low so went with NBM
chance PoPs across portions of the mountains for now. Depending on
the timing, some pockets of brief freezing rain may develop late
Monday night into early Tuesday morning across portions of the North
Carolina mountains. Confidence on freezing rain actually
materializing remains low. No ice accumulation is expected at this
time.
Key Message #2: Above normal high temperatures expected most of the
period, with the exception of Monday when below normal highs briefly
return.
Highs will run 5-10 degrees above normal east of the mountains on
Sunday with temps climbing into the upper 50s to lower 60s. Highs
across the mountains should end up a few degrees above normal across
most locations Sunday. Much cooler temps are expected behind the
cold front on Monday, with highs ending up a few degrees below
normal area wide. A warming trend develops Tuesday into Wednesday,
with highs ending up a few degrees above normal Tuesday, becoming 10-
15 degrees above normal Wednesday. A warming trend can be expected
regarding low temperatures through the long term.
&&
.AVIATION /12Z THURSDAY THROUGH MONDAY/...
At KCLT and elsewhere: VFR conditions to start with a few locations
starting to decrease. A cold front approaching from the west,
continues to bring restrictions in for vsby/cigs. Between 12z-16z,
expect cigs to plummet into the MVFR/IFR category. -RA moves in from
the south and spreads across the area. Confidence is high that
showers ahead of the front will keep these restrictions in place
through most of the TAF period. RA should start to taper off between
06z-08z, with restrictions slow to improve. Additionally, winds
throughout the day should be light to VRB, before picking up after
00z. Gusts of 15-25kts are anticipated at most sites. Winds ahead of
the front remain southerly before turning more WSW outside the
mountains. KAVL should turn NW after midnight as the front reaches
the area. The other concern with this strong front is LLWS. All
sites could see LLWS, with KCLT starting earlier at 18z for 20040kt
and lasting until 07z Friday.
Outlook: Restrictions improve into Friday night as the cold front
moves out and VFR conditions return through the weekend.
&&
.GSP WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES...
GA...None.
NC...Wind Advisory from 7 AM to 7 PM EST Friday for NCZ033-048>053-
058-059-062-063.
SC...None.
&&
$$
SYNOPSIS...AR
NEAR TERM...CP
SHORT TERM...AR
LONG TERM...AR
AVIATION...CP
- Additional Information:
Additional Figures
