Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 accident near Abbeville, South Carolina, October 11, 1984
On October 11, 1984 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600, registered N66CM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Abbeville, South Carolina (Davis Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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 accident. 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
- October 11, 1984 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Abbeville, South Carolina · Davis Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N66CM · registry record · serial 600046101
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
RIGHT MAIN TIRE BLEW DURING A HARD LANDING. PLT APPLIED LEFT BRAKE AND RUDDER BUT ACFT CONTINUED OFF RIGHT SIDE OF RWY. ACFT SKIDDED ACROSS A PILE OF DEBRIS WHICH INITIATED A FLASH FIRE IN THE UNDERBRUSH. THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY WAS BROKEN FROM THE ACFT BEFORE IT CAME TO A COMPLETE STOP APRX 1400 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,000 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 5,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-G1B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 5:30 pm
- Destination: A03 Abbeville SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,240 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.