Piper PA-32-260 accident near Blairsville, Georgia, March 30, 1985
On March 30, 1985 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3744W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Blairsville, Georgia (Blairsville 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).
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
- March 30, 1985 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Blairsville, Georgia · Blairsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3744W · registry record · serial 32-658
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLT, THE PLT ENCOUNTERED UNFAVORABLE WINDS & RAIN, THEN BECAME CONCERNED ABOUT HIS FUEL SUPPLY. HE DIVERTED TO BLAIRSVILLE & WAS LANDING WHEN A GUST OF WIND BLEW THE ACFT SIDE WAYS. THE PLT RE-ALIGNED THE ACFT WITH THE RWY, BUT IT SUDDENLY DROPPED & LANDED HARD. DURING TOUCHDOWN, THE LEFT MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE ACFT SLID OFF THE LEFT SIDE 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 282 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 154 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,350 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AID Anderson IN at 2:00 pm
- Destination: AHN Athens GA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 25, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 9,000 ft; not recorded at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 63°F (17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from TVS, 58 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N3744W the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.