Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 accident near Raeford, North Carolina, July 9, 1994
On July 9, 1994 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2, registered N111FX, was destroyed in an accident near Raeford, North Carolina (Raeford Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER INSPECTION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, WHICH RESULTED IN AN UNSAFETIED AND DISCONNECTED FUEL CONTROL ARM.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 9, 1994 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Raeford, North Carolina · Raeford Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Pilatus PC-6/B1-H2 · all PC-6/B1-H2s on the register
- Registration
- N111FX · no longer on the register · serial 701
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PERFORMING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF, WHEN HE OBSERVED A LOSS OF POWER, ASSOCIATED WITH A TORQUE INDICATION OF ZERO. HE FORCE LANDED THE AIRCRAFT IN A WOODED AREA WHEN HE COULD NOT MAKE AN OPEN FIELD. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE FUEL CONTROL UNIT ARM WAS LOOSE, AND THE LOCK WIRE WAS NOT IN PLACE. THE ARM WAS POSITIONED SO THAT A MAXIMUM POWER DEMAND FROM THE THROTTLE WOULD CORRESPOND TO AN IDLE POWER DEMAND AT THE FUEL CONTROL. THE ENGINE UNDERWENT A 100 HOUR INSPECTION, BY COMPANY MAINTENANCE PERSONNEL, 8 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT. THE INSPECTION CHECKLIST CALLED FOR EXAMINING THE FUEL CONTROL LINKAGE FOR SECURITY.
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; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,000 hours in all; 108 in this make and model; 185 in the last 90 days; 43 in the last 30 days; 2,836 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,963 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1994; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,850 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: P&W PT6A-20 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Freefall Express, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 5W4 at 2:15 pm
- Destination: 5W4 NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 3,400 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 280° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from FAY, 16 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL94LA133.