Piper PA-31-350 accident near Houston, Texas, June 16, 1985
On June 16, 1985 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N66887, was substantially damaged in an accident near Houston, Texas (Southwest Airpark airport). It was a personal 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
- June 16, 1985 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Houston, Texas · Southwest Airpark · 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
- N66887 · no longer on the register · serial 31-7405408
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE FIRST SAW ANOTHER AIRCRAFT AHEAD OF AND BELOW HIM ON FINAL TO THE RUNWAY. HE MANEUVERED TO ESTABLISH INTERVAL, THEN DECIDED TO GO AROUND. HE ADDED FULLTHROTTLES BUT LEFT THE FLAPS AND GEAR DOWN. UNALBE TO CLIMB,HE DECIDED TO LAND BEHIND THE OTHER AIRCRAFT. LANDING SHORT,THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A 1-2 FT LIP AT THE RUNWAY, SHEARING ONE LANDING GEAR AND COLLAPSING ANOTHER. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE BUT THE PILOT ESCAPED WITHOUT INJURY.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming LTIO-540J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GLS Galveston TX at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 5,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 5:45 pm
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.