Honestly, the aviation community in Southwest Virginia is still reeling. When news broke on December 4, 2024, about a small aircraft going down in Scott County, people didn't want to believe it. But the confirmation came quickly. Bradley Nelms, a 45-year-old from Washington County, Virginia, had lost his life. He wasn't just a pilot; he was a local fixture. A "cowboy," a mechanic, and the heartbeat of BSN Rodeo Co.
The Brad Nelms plane crash happened at a private airstrip in the Fort Blackmore area. It wasn't a commercial flight or a busy airport hub. It was quiet. Until it wasn't. Witness video, which has since been reviewed by investigators, captured the final moments of the flight. It shows the plane flying low—very low—over the airstrip.
Then came the maneuver.
The aircraft entered what the NTSB described as a "short, gradual climb." But it didn't stay there. The plane rolled to the right, went inverted (upside down), and dove straight into the ground. It’s the kind of sequence that haunts anyone who spends time around hangars.
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Investigating the Fort Blackmore Incident
When a plane goes down like this, the NTSB and FAA don't just "check the boxes." They look at everything. As of late 2025, the full report is still a work in progress, but the preliminary data gives us a pretty clear, if tragic, picture.
The crash site was near a private strip, which often means less surveillance and fewer data logs than a major airport. However, the witness video was a game-changer for the investigation. In many GA (General Aviation) accidents, investigators have to piece things together from wreckage patterns alone. Here, they could actually see the aerodynamic stall or loss of control as it happened.
The aircraft involved was a small, fixed-wing plane. Brad was known for being a skilled mechanic and a "go-getter," someone who knew his way around an engine. This makes the mechanical aspect of the investigation particularly interesting. Was it a structural failure? Or did something happen in the cockpit that led to that sudden, fatal roll?
Who Was Brad Nelms?
You can't talk about the crash without talking about the man. Brad wasn't just a name in a police report. He was a father to four young kids—Wilder, Hesston, Hazer, and McRae. He ran BSN Productions with his wife, Chelsey. If you’ve ever been to "Rodeo in the Valley," you’ve seen his handiwork.
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He was the guy who stayed up late making sure everyone else was okay. His wife described him as a "cowboy, superman, and comedian." It’s rare to find someone who fits all those descriptions, but according to the outpouring of support on GoFundMe and local news, Brad was exactly that. He had been a bull rider in the PBR before a wakeboarding accident shifted his focus to production and aviation.
The Dynamics of Private Airstrip Flights
Flying out of private strips in rural Virginia isn't like flying out of Dulles. It’s intimate. It’s also demanding.
- Low Altitude Maneuvers: The witness saw the plane flying low over the strip. In aviation, "altitude is life." When you're low to the ground, there is zero margin for error.
- The "Inverted" Roll: This is the most chilling part of the report. A plane going inverted at low altitude is almost always unrecoverable.
- Weather Factors: Scott County terrain can be tricky, with rolling hills and shifting winds that "curl" over the ridges.
What Most People Get Wrong About Small Plane Crashes
People see "plane crash" and immediately think of engine failure. While engines do quit, a huge percentage of GA accidents are actually "Loss of Control - Inflight" (LOC-I).
If a pilot tries to climb too steeply without enough airspeed, the wing "stalls." It stops producing lift. If one wing stalls before the other, the plane snaps into a roll. Looking at the description of the Brad Nelms plane crash, where the plane rolled right and went inverted, it bears the hallmarks of a classic stall/spin accident.
It doesn't mean the pilot was "bad." Even the most experienced sticks can get caught by a sudden gust or a moment of distracted flying. Brad was a capable man, but physics is unforgiving.
The Aftermath and Legacy
The community didn't just move on. They rallied. A fundraiser for the Nelms family saw an incredible influx of donations, proving just how many lives Brad touched. The "Rodeo in the Valley" events continue, though there is a palpable absence behind the scenes.
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For those looking for "actionable insights"—though it feels a bit clinical in the face of tragedy—the aviation takeaway is always about the "Impossible Turn" or low-altitude maneuvering. Pilots are taught from day one to avoid aggressive turns at low altitudes.
If you are a pilot or someone who flies frequently in private aviation:
- Maintain Airspeed: Always keep a buffer above your stall speed, especially during climbs near the ground.
- Respect the "Box": Don't perform maneuvers outside of the standard flight envelope unless you have the altitude to recover.
- Pre-Flight Everything: Brad was a mechanic, so you can bet he checked his gear. Sometimes, things just happen that are beyond a pre-flight check.
The NTSB will eventually release a final "Probable Cause." Until then, we have the memories of a guy who lived a lot of life in 45 years. He was a "Jesus lover" and a "protector" who ended his journey in the hills he loved.
If you want to support the family or stay updated on the local rodeo scene, keep an eye on official BSN Productions announcements. They are the ones carrying the torch now.
Next Steps:
To stay informed on the final NTSB ruling, you can monitor the NTSB Caribbean and East Region dockets. Usually, the final report with a "Probable Cause" determination is released 12 to 24 months after the initial incident. Since this happened in late 2024, expect the full analysis sometime in late 2025 or early 2026. For those in the aviation community, reviewing these final reports is a somber but necessary way to ensure these tragedies aren't repeated.