Piper PA-31-350 accident near Dallas, Texas, June 9, 1985
On June 9, 1985 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N7697L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Dallas, Texas (Redbird airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 10 people were 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
- June 9, 1985 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Dallas, Texas · Redbird · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 10 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N7697L · no longer on the register · serial 31-7305027
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT FILED AND FLT PLANNED FOR AN OVERWATER ROUTE BETWEEN CLEARWATER, FL, AND DALLAS, TX, WHICH WAS DENIED DUE TO ATC RESTRICTIONS. ON ARRIVAL OVER NEW ORLEANS, A PLANNED RE-FUELING STOP, THE PLT DETERMINED THAT HE WOULD MAKE IT TO DALLAS. ON ARRIVAL IN THE DALLAS AREA, HE ESTIMATED THAT HE COULD NOT MAKE LOVE FIELD (DAL) AND DIVERTED TO REDBIRD ARPT (RDB). ON BASE, BOTH ENGS QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE ACFT WAS LANDED LONG WITH THE GEAR AND FLAPS UP AND SLID OFF THE END OF THE RWY. PLT OVERFLEW AT LEAST 1 ARPT AFTER HE DECIDED TO DIVERT TO RDB.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,981 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 5,851 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,045 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PIE St. Petersburg FL
- Destination: DAL Dallas TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 3,801 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:05 pm from RDB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 9 |
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.