Piper PA-60-600 accident near Raleigh, North Carolina, July 24, 1986
On July 24, 1986 at about 12:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-600, registered N3643Q, was destroyed in an accident near Raleigh, North Carolina (Raleigh/Durham airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 24, 1986 · about 12:45 pm local time
- Place
- Raleigh, North Carolina · Raleigh/Durham · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-600 · all PA-60-600s on the register
- Registration
- N3643Q · no longer on the register · serial 600836816123
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ISSUED RWY 5, 7,500', FOR IFR DEPARTURE WITH FAVORING 4 KT QUARTERING HEADWIND. PLT REQUESTED RWY 14, 4,498', FOR TAKEOFF WITH A 4 KT QUARTERING TAILWIND. GROUND WITNESS AND CONTROL TOWER OBSERVED ACFT USE NEARLY ALL OF THE RWY ON TAKEOFF ROLL. AFTER AN ABRUPT ROTATION, THE CONTROLLER OBSERVED ACFT YAW TO LEFT AND MAKE A LOW ALT LEFT TURN. SECONDS LATER THE ACFT RAPIDLY DESCENDED INTO TREES AND CAUGHT FIRE. THE LEFT PROPELLER WAS FOUND IN THE FEATHERED POSITION AND THE LEFT ENGINE WAS CONSUMED BY A GROUND FIRE. THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF ANY INTERNAL ENGINE FAILURE. THE ENGINE TIME SMOH WAS 43 HRS. WITNESS HEARD THE ACFT TAKEOFF WITH A SERIES OF LOUD BACKFIRES 25 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. INJECTOR NOZZLES ON THE RIGHT ENGINE WERE LEANED TO CORRECT THE PROBLEM AFTER 6 HRS OF OPERATION ONE WEEK LATER. THE PLTS LOG FAILED TO SHOW ANY RECENT TRAINING IN SINGLE ENGINE PROCEDURES.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,518 hours in all; 1,954 in this make and model; 97 in the last 90 days; 50 in the last 30 days; 4,132 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,009 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 9, 1986; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1J5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: RDU Raleigh NC
- Destination: SFZ Pawtucket RI
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 14, 4,498 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:51 pm from RDU, 1 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.