Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601P accident near Prestonburg, Kentucky, August 15, 1985
On August 15, 1985 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601P, registered N9763Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prestonburg, Kentucky (Combs airport). It was an executive or corporate flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 15, 1985 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Prestonburg, Kentucky · Combs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 601P AEROSTAR 6
- Registration
- N9763Q · registry record · serial 61P0437-163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWN DRAFT WHICH CAUSED A SUDDEN LOSS OF ALTITUDE RESULTING IN A HARD LANDING. THE AIRCRAFT TIRE BLEW ON LANDING AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF OF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED. WITNESSES STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE TREES ON THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY AND LANDED SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,353 hours in all; 39 in this make and model; 103 in the last 90 days; 36 in the last 30 days; 5,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,450 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 5,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LWB Lewisburg WV at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 3I6 Prestonburg KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 31, 3,200 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.