Piper PA-31-325 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, September 21, 1986
On September 21, 1986 at about 5:06 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-325, registered N4505V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky (Bowman Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- September 21, 1986 · about 5:06 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · Bowman Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-325 · all PA-31-325s on the register
- Registration
- N4505V · no longer on the register · serial 31-812002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FOLLOWING A NORMAL TOUCHDOWN AND LANDING, THE PILOT LOST DIRECTIONAL CONTROL AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS UNABLE TO CORRECT THE DIRECTIONAL PROBLEM AFTER THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RUNWAYSURFACE. EXAMINATION OF THE ACCIDENT SITE DISCLOSED THAT THERE WERE BLACK TIRE MARKS LEADING FROM THE RUNWAY SURFACE. ANEXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT FAILED TO DISCLOSE ANY MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,321 hours in all; 215 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 1,740 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,895 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 14, 1986; 171 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,200 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-F2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lansing MI at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,539 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 170° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:13 pm from LOU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.