Piper AEROSTAR 601P accident near San Angelo, Texas, August 24, 1985
On August 24, 1985 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper AEROSTAR 601P, registered N8045J, was destroyed in an accident near San Angelo, Texas. 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
- August 24, 1985 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- San Angelo, Texas
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper AEROSTAR 601P AEROSTAR 6 · all AEROSTAR 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N8045J · registry record · serial GIP-0528-222
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT HAD RECENTLY PURCHASED THE ACFT AND RECEIVED 25 HRS DUAL INSTRUCTION TO COMPLY WITH HIS INSURANCE REQUIREMENTS. SHORTLY THEREAFTER HE WENT OUT SOLO TO PRACTICE STEEP TURNS.HE CLIMBED TO 12,500 FT AND LEVELED OFF. HE THEN ROLLED INTO A 60 DEG LEFT BANK AT 200 KTS AIRSPEED BY APPLYING LEFT AILERON AND BACK PRESSURE. HE THEN APPLIED MODERATE LEFT RUDDER. AT THIS TIME THE NOSE CAME UP, THE RIGHT WING CAME OVER THE TOP, THE NOSE TUCKED DOWN AND THE ACFT ENTERED A STEEP NOSE DOWN SPIN. IN HIS ATTEMPT TO STOP THE SPIN THE PLT SHUT DOWN BOTH ENGS. HE GOT THE SPIN STOPPED AFTER 15 TO 20 TURNS. HE STARTED PULLING THE NOSE UP AND THE STALL BUFFET WAS FELT. ALT WAS 500 FT AGL AT THIS TIME AND HE WASUNABLE TO RESTART THE ENG. HE THEN MADE A GEAR UP LANDING IN A PASTURE WHICH RESULTED IN DESTRUCTION OF THE ACFT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,386 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 1,338 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 897 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 12, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1AS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SJT San Angelo TX at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 11,500 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°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.