Piper PA-34-200T incident near White Sulphur, West Virginia, May 4, 1985
On May 4, 1985 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N2618M, suffered minor damage in an incident near White Sulphur, West Virginia (White Sulphur Springs airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this incident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 4, 1985 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- White Sulphur, West Virginia · White Sulphur Springs · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2618M · registry record · serial 34-7870089
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING VFR LDG APCH, PILOT NOTED A VEHICLE ON THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RWY. THE APCH WAS CONTD AND AS THE LDG FLARE WAS STARTED, THE PILOT AND ONE OF HIS PASSENGERS STATED THAT THE VEHICLE STARTED ACROSS THE RWY IN FRONT OF THEM. THE PILOT PULLED THE YOKE BACK TO Z00M OVER THE VEHICLE WITHOUT ADDING POWER. THE ACFT STRUCK THE RWY AND BOUCCED. THE NOSE GEAR SUPPORT TRUSS WAS DISPLACED UPWARD AND THE TOP FITTING PENETRATING THE TOP FUSELAGE SKIN AT THE FUSELAGE/ WINDSHIELD JUNCTURE. WITNESSES ON THE GROUND STATED THAT THE VEHICLE WAS PARKED ON THE LEFT EDGE OF THE RWY AND WAS UNOCCUPIED.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 514 hours in all; 54 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 444 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,914 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 29, 1984; 110 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental L/TS10-36E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Congressional Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: DCA Washington DC at 2:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,170 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL85IA153.