Piper PA-28-180 accident near Goldsboro, North Carolina, January 27, 1985
On January 27, 1985 at about 3:10 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N5291L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Goldsboro, North Carolina (Goldsboro-Wayne Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- January 27, 1985 · about 3:10 am local time
- Place
- Goldsboro, North Carolina · Goldsboro-Wayne Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N5291L · no longer on the register · serial 28-4592
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE LANDING AT NIGHT, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED UNFAVORABLE WINDS & WENT OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. AFTER DEPARTING THE RWY, IT HIT A DRAINAGE DITCH & THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. ABOUT 50 MI NORTHWEST AT THE RALEIGH/DURHAM ARPT, THE WIND WAS VARIABLE FROM 290 TO 320 DEG AT 10 KTS, GUSTING 20 TO 25 KTS. (BRIEF DEVELOPED FROM PRELIM RPRT, FAA RPRT LOST IN MAILING)
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Myrtle Beach SC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,700 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:10 am from RDU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 N5291L 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.