Piper PA-31-325 accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina, July 31, 1991
On July 31, 1991 at about 4:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-325, registered N300HF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Spartanburg, South Carolina (Spartanburg Downtown 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 PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW THE CHECKLIST AND EXTEND THE LANDING GEAR PRIOR TO TOUCHDOWN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 1991 · about 4:35 pm local time
- Place
- Spartanburg, South Carolina · Spartanburg Downtown Mem. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-325 · all PA-31-325s on the register
- Registration
- N300HF · registry record · serial 31-7812008
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRPLANE WAS LANDED WITH THE LANDING GEAR RETRACTED. A WITNESS WHO WORKED IN THE AIRPORT MANAGER'S OFFICE NOTED THAT THE GEAR WAS UP WHEN THE AIRPLANE WAS ON SHORT FINAL APPROACH. THE AIRPORT MANAGER NOTED THAT THE LANDING GEAR HANDLE WAS DOWN WHEN THE PILOT EXITED THE AIRPLANE AFTER IT SLID TO A STOP. NORMALLY, THE GEAR HANDLE RETURNS TO NEUTRAL WHEN THE GEAR FULLY EXTENDS. ITS POSITION INDICATED THAT THE GEAR HANDLE WAS LOWERED AFTER LANDING. AN FAA INSPECTOR EXAMINED THE LANDING GEAR AFTER THE ACCIDENT AND NOTED THAT IT FUNCTIONED NORMALLY.
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: 1,263 hours in all; 480 in this make and model; 109 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 1,263 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,858 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1990; 278 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-520-A2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tomark Industries, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PDK Chamblee GA at 3:30 pm
- Destination: SPA Spartanburg SC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 4, 5,203 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; scat at 33,000 ft
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:51 pm from GSP, 10 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.
Other NTSB records under N300HF 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.