Piper PA-34-200T accident near Williamson, West Virginia, September 2, 1993
On September 2, 1993 at about 2:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N31858, was destroyed in an accident near Williamson, West Virginia (Williamson Mingo Cty 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
A FIRE IN THE COCKPIT AREA FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 2, 1993 · about 2:00 pm local time
- Place
- Williamson, West Virginia · Williamson Mingo Cty · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N31858 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870270
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, JUST AFTER TAKEOFF HE NOTED AN ODOR. HE STATED THAT WITHIN 30 SECONDS TO A MINUTE, HE NOTICED SMOKE IN THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE COMPLETED THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST WHICH INCLUDED TURNING OFF ALL ELECTRICAL POWER. HE ELECTED TO RETURN FOR A LANDING. AFTER LANDING, THE PILOT STATED THAT HE WAS ABLE TO TAXI THE AIRPLANE ONTO THE TAXIWAY. HE LEFT THE AIRPLANE TO SEEK ASSISTANCE IN EXTINGUISHING THE FIRE. ON HIS RETURN TO THE AIRPLANE, HE NOTED THE FIRE HAD SPREAD THROUGHOUT THE CABIN AND TO THE EMPENNAGE AREA. THE FIRE WAS EXTINGUISHED, BUT THE CABIN AREA AND NOSE COMPARTMENT WERE DESTROYED BY THE FIRE. AN EXAMINATION OF THE AIRPLANE AFTER THE ACCIDENT DID NOT REVEAL THE SOURCE OF THE FIRE.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,097 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 3,091 as pilot in command; 1,239 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: W. M. T. INC.
The flight
- Destination: VJI Abingdon VA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 3,515 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.