Piper PA-28-180 accident near Franklin, North Carolina, July 13, 1985
On July 13, 1985 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N779VM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Franklin, North Carolina. It was a personal 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
- July 13, 1985 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Franklin, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N779VM · no longer on the register · serial 28-4699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLT ENG RPM DECREASED. PLT ACTIONS TO RECOVER RPM WERE UNSUCCESSFUL AND ENG EVENTUALLY QUIT. A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE TO AN EMPTY FLD. ON ROLL OUT THE ACFT HIT A CONCEALED DITCH RESULTING IN SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE. LATER, EXMINATION OF THE ENG SHOWED THAT THE #3 EXHAUST VALVE HAD SEIZED IN A PARTIALLY OPEN POSITION AND THE CORRESPONDING PUSHROD WAS BROKEN. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE VALVE HAD NOT BEEN SEATED FOR SOME TIME WITH CARBON BUILDUP ON THE VALVE AND VALVE SEAT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 646 hours in all; 122 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 536 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,338 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HSV Huntsville AL at 6:30 pm
- Destination: Norfolk VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from AVL, 45 miles away
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.