Cessna 441 incident near Hilton Head, South Carolina, August 16, 1985
On August 16, 1985 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 441, registered N2624D, was substantially damaged in an incident near Hilton Head, South Carolina (Hilton Head airport). It was a business 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).
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 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 16, 1985 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Hilton Head, South Carolina · Hilton Head · map
- Type
- Incident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 441 · all 441s on the register
- Registration
- N2624D · no longer on the register · serial 441-0122
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE APPROACH SEQUENCE AND PROFILE WERE NORMAL, AND THERE WERE NO APPARENT AIRCRAFT PROBLEMS. AFTER TOUCH DOWN THE PILOT APPLIED REVERSE THRUST. DURING THE LANDING ROLL OUT, THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, COLLIDED WITH A TAXIWAY MARKER AND A RUNWAY LIGHT. THE AIRCRAFT EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT, THE LEFT PROPELLER GROUND STRIKE HAD OCCURRED. WHEN PULLED INTO REVERSE, THE THROTTLE LEVERS COULD OVERLAP, CAUSING A DIFFERENCE IN THE FUEL CONTROLLER READING ON EACH ENGINE. THE ENGINE EXAMINATION DISCLOSED THAT THE RIGHT ENGINE NEGATIVE TORQUE SENSING CAMSET WAS DISPLACED TWO TEETH FROM THE INSTALLED REFERENCE POINT. THIS CONDITION PREVENTED THE RIGHT PROPELLER FROM COMING OUT OF THE FEATHER POSITION DURING THE POST INCIDENT EXAMINATION.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,500 hours in all; 130 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,351 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 10, 1985; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,850 lb
- Seats: 11
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Garrett TPE331 SERIES (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Detroit MI at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 77°F (25°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 pm from SAV
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.