Piper PA-31-350 accident near Sallisaw, Oklahoma, April 22, 1985
On April 22, 1985 at about 10:58 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N3550N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sallisaw, Oklahoma. It was a ferry 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 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
- April 22, 1985 · about 10:58 pm local time
- Place
- Sallisaw, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3550N · no longer on the register · serial 31-8052038
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AN ANNUAL INSPN HAD JUST BEEN COMPLETED (4/22/85) & EACH ENG HAD ABOUT 1 HR OF FLT TIME. THE PLT STATED THAT HE TOOK OFF & CLIMBED TO CRUISE AT 9000 FT, THEN CLOSED THE COWL FLAPS & SET THE FUEL SETTINGS FOR 75% POWER. WHILE EN ROUTE, HE NOTED OIL TRAILING FROM THE L ENG OIL ACCESS DOOR, BUT THE L OIL PRESSURE WAS IN THE NORMAL RANGE. HE THROTTLED BACK THE LEFT ENG & REQUESTED VECTORS TO THE NEAREST ARPT. THE PLT RPRTD THAT WHILE DIVERTING, HE SAW FIRE COMING FROM THE AFT END OF THE R ENG COMPARTMENT. THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE R ENG, DECLARED AN EMERG & SUBSEQUENTLY MADE AN EMERG/GEAR UP LANDING IN A WET FIELD. DRG AN APCH OVER TREES TO LAND, HE HAD TO MANEUVER TO AVOID POWER LINES. TEARDOWNS OF BOTH ENGS REVEALED MELTING ON THE EDGE & TOP OF SVRL PISTONS. ONE ENG HAD MELTING IN THE HEAD OF 1 CYLINDER & ITS EXHAUST VLV SEATWAS DAMAGED. NO MAINTENANCE OR PRE-ACDNT DISCREPANCIES WERE FND THAT WOULD HAVE RESULTED IN PRE-IGNITION OR DETONATION. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THE RPRTD FIRE WAS ACTUALLY OIL BEING USED & IGNITED BY THE TURBO-CHARGERS.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,730 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 3,071 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,600 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 22, 1985; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: TUL Tulsa OK at 10:30 pm
- Destination: MOB Mobile AL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 9,000 ft; scat at 500 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:01 pm from FSM, 35 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.
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.