Piper PA-24-250 accident near Florence, South Carolina, September 4, 1985
On September 4, 1985, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7991P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Florence, South Carolina (Florence City airport). It was a personal 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
- September 4, 1985
- Place
- Florence, South Carolina · Florence City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7991P · no longer on the register · serial 24-3230
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR & PERFORMED A GEAR-UP LANDING. POST ACCIDENT EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE NOSE GEAR DOOR WAS RESTRICTING THE MOVEMENT OF THE LANDING GEAR DUE TO IMPROPER REPAIR OF THE LANDING GEAR DOOR ATTACHMENT.
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
- Flight time: 1,188 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,833 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 14, 1985; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: RDU Raleigh NC at 11:45 pm
- Destination: FLO Florence SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 6,001 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.