- Date
- October 18, 1985, 09:09 local (13:09 UTC)
- Place
- Charleston, SC
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N1944HPiper PA-34-200T
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19851018052619A
- Case key
- 6901
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The aircraft was observed on radar as it approached the joint civil - military airport. It passed over near the center of the airport at about 200 feet AGL. There was no reported communication with the aircraft. Several sighting placed the aircraft under at least one bridge as it buzzed several ships and tugs. The aircraft also flew low over a section of the base where the pilot had formerly worked and he dropped out at least one flare. The aircraft was observed as it lined up on the abandoned fuel storage tank and crashed into the side of it. Both engines were running and there was no known or reported problem with the aircraft. Ruled a suicide by the med examiner.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N1944H
- Reported as
- Piper PA-34-200T
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 34-770159
- Airframe hours
- 1,641
- Engine
- Continental TS10-360-E, 200 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Operator
- Goldsboro-Wayne Aviation
- Registered owner
- Wtc, Inc.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · November 12, 1984 · 200 hours before
- Departed
- GWW · Goldsboro, NC
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 1,077 total · 941 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 20° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 800 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- CHS, 7 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.