Piper PA-31T accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, December 16, 1985
On December 16, 1985 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered N4445K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina (Spartanbugh Mem airport). It was a business 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
- December 16, 1985 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · Spartanbugh Mem
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N4445K · registry record · serial 790038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING ROLL THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE ACFT SKIDDED TO A STOP ON THE RWY. THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED AND THE PLT WAS NOT INJURED. A WITNESS STATED THAT HE OBSERVED THE LANDING GEAR IN THE DOWN POSITION WHILE THE ACFT WAS IN THE TRAFFIC PATTERN. A LANDING GEAR EXTENSION AND RETRACTION TEST WAS PERFORMED ON THE ACFT AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND THE SYSTEM OPERATED NORMALLY. NO PRE-IMPACT FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,000 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 12,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,165 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CAE Columbia SC at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,203 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from SPA, 1 miles away
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.