Piper PA-31 accident near Morgantown, West Virginia, December 9, 1989
On December 9, 1989 at about 2:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N7485L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Morgantown, West Virginia (Hart Field). It was an executive or corporate 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 EXCESSIVE TAXI SPEED. ICE ON THE RAMP AND THE LOCATION OF THE FENCE WERE RELATED FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 9, 1989 · about 2:30 pm local time
- Place
- Morgantown, West Virginia · Hart Field
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N7485L · no longer on the register · serial 31-7300907
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Executive or corporate flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,600 hours in all; 2,100 in this make and model; 225 in the last 90 days; 78 in the last 30 days; 5,375 as pilot in command; 1,200 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,592 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 6, 1989; 623 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-82C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUY Burlington NC at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 5,199 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 21°F (-6°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from MRG
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.