Piper PA-28-161 accident near Statesville, North Carolina, May 24, 1986
On May 24, 1986 at about 6:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N9778C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Statesville, North Carolina (Stateville airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- May 24, 1986 · about 6:15 pm local time
- Place
- Statesville, North Carolina · Stateville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N9778C · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816528
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ALLOWED THE AIRCRAFT TO STALL AND TOUCHDOWN SHORT OF THE RUNWAY WHILE COMPETING IN A POWER OFF SPOT LANDING COMPETITION. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACCIDENT COULD HAVE BEEN PREVENTED BY SIMPLY ADDING POWER.
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: flight instructor
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 630 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 457 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,763 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 3, 1986; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 28, 4,518 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 30,000 ft; not recorded at 30,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Observation at 12:52 pm from HKY
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.
Other NTSB records under N9778C 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.