Piper PA-34-200 accident near Concord, North Carolina, April 4, 1985
On April 4, 1985 at about 7:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N1071U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Concord, North Carolina (Propst airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 4, 1985 · about 7:10 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, North Carolina · Propst · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N1071U · registry record · serial 34-7250066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE PVT ARPT AT THE DESTINATION HAD A UNIDIRECTIONAL STRIP WITH HI OBSTRUCTIONS ON BOTH ENDS. OBSTACLES, RWY SLOPE & NOISE ABATEMENT CONSIDERATIONS REQUIRED THAT RWY 4 BE USED FOR LANDINGS. AT 1351 EST, THE WIND AT CHARLOTTE, NC WAS FROM 220 DEG AT 16 GUSTING 27 KTS. DURING ARRIVAL AT CONCORD, THE FINAL APCH WAS FLOWN AT 100 MPH. A WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN ABOUT 1350 FT FROM THE APCH END, THEN BOUNCED 2 OR 3 TIMES. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE RWY & INTENTIONALLY GROUND LOOPED THE ACFT AFTER TRAVELING BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END. HE STATED THAT THE LEFT BRAKE WAS NOT WORKING SUFFICIENTLY & HE USED RUDDER & DIFFERENTIAL POWER FOR DIRECTIONAL CONTROL. SKID MARKS WERE FOUND STARTING ABOUT 2000 FT FROM THE APCH END OF THE RWY. STOPPING DISTANCE FOR THE CONDITIONS WAS CALCULATED TO BE 2711 FT; THE ACFT HAD TOUCHED DOWN WITH ABOUT 2050 FT REMAINING. WHEN CHECKED AFTER THE ACCIDENT, THE BRAKE PEDALS FELT SPONGY. THE LEFT BRAKE PAD WAS DISCOLORED BLUE.
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: 1,630 hours in all; 747 in this make and model; 148 in the last 90 days; 1,413 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,807 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 14, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 4,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 6:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 16 knots, gusting 27
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:51 pm from CLT, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 ATL85LA129.