Piper PA-31-350 accident near Burlington, North Carolina, February 1, 2006
On February 1, 2006 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N3581C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, North Carolina (Burlington-Alamance Regional airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's misjudgment of altitude/distance which resulted in an undershoot of the runway and subsequent impact with the runway collapsing the main landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 1, 2006 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, North Carolina · Burlington-Alamance Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3581C · no longer on the register · serial 31-8052091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he entered a left downwind for runway 06 and extended his downwind due to another airplane being on left base for the same runway. He turned final and made several s-turns while waiting on the other airplane to clear the runway. Once the other airplane cleared the runway the pilot stated, "I lined up with the runway 06 and flared to land. My main landing gear struck the end of the pavement and sheared the left main gear." The pilot did not report any mechanical problems before the accident.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,360 hours in all; 6,000 in this make and model; 300 in the last 90 days; 100 in the last 30 days; 4,067 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 23,432.4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 2005; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming TIO-540-J28D (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming TIO-540-J28D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KHEF Manassas VA at 1:40 pm
- Destination: KBUY Burlington NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 06, 5,000 ft by 120 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from KBUY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.