Piper PA-32R-301T accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania, November 11, 1985
On November 11, 1985 at about 2:49 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, registered N4313T, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Chester, Pennsylvania (Brandywind airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- November 11, 1985 · about 2:49 am local time
- Place
- West Chester, Pennsylvania · Brandywind · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301T PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N4313T · no longer on the register · serial 32R-83130024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PRACTICE VOR APCH WAS MADE TO THE ARPT. AFTERWARDS A LANDING WAS ATTEMPTED ON RWY 27. A G0 AROUND WAS MADE WHEN THE ACFT WAS TOO HIGH ON FINAL. A SECOND LANDING ATTEMPT WAS MADE. ACCORDING TO THE CFI, WHILE ON FINAL THE STUDENT WAS HEADED FOR A TOUCHDOWN POINT JUST BEYOND THE WHITE RWY LIGHTS. THE CFI SAW WHAT APPEARED TO BE A BALL AHEAD OF THE ACFT. A GO AROUND WAS ATTEMPTED JUST AS COLLISION WITH POWER LINES OCCURRED. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN SHORT OF THE RWY AND SLID TO A STOP LEFT OF THE RWY. RWY 27 IS 3012 FT LONG WITH A 65 FT DISPLACED THRESHOLD. THE POWER LINES ARE LOCATED ABOUT 150 FT FROM AND ABOUT 10 FT ABOVE RWY 27. THE STUDENT LANDED AT THE ARPT AT NIGHT TWO DAYS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,802 hours in all; 559 in this make and model; 184 in the last 90 days; 1,802 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 261 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, September 15, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: ILG Wilmington DE at 2:28 am
- Destination: N99 West Chester PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 2,580 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 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.