- Date
- July 24, 1986, 08:45 local (12:45 UTC)
- Place
- Raleigh, NC
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N3643QPiper PA-60-600
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19860724035639A
- Case key
- 6953
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 plt was issued rwy 5, 7,500', for IFR departure with favoring 4 kt quartering headwind. Plt requested rwy 14, 4,498', for takeoff with a 4 kt quartering tailwind. Ground witness and control tower observed acft use nearly all of the rwy on takeoff roll. After an abrupt rotation, the controller observed acft yaw to left and make a low alt left turn. Seconds later the acft rapidly descended into trees and caught fire. The left propeller was found in the feathered position and the left engine was consumed by a ground fire. There was no evidence of any internal engine failure. The engine time smoh was 43 hrs. Witness heard the acft takeoff with a series of loud backfires 25 days prior to the accident. Injector nozzles on the right engine were leaned to correct the problem after 6 hrs of operation one week later. The plts log failed to show any recent training in single engine procedures.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N3643Q
- Reported as
- Piper PA-60-600
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 600836816123
- Airframe hours
- 2,009
- Engine
- Lycoming IO-540-K1J5, 290 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- William H. Adams
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · May 9, 1986 · 40 hours before
- Departed
- RDU · Raleigh, NC
- Destination
- SFZ · Pawtucket, RI
- Flight plan
- IFR
- Airport
- RDU · Raleigh/Durham, runway 14, 4,498 × 100 ft, asphalt
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
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Left
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 4,518 total · 1,954 in this make and model · 4,132 as pilot in command · 97 in the last 90 days · 50 in the last 30 days · 2 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Day
- Wind
- 40° at 6 knots
- Visibility
- 1 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 400 ft
- Temperature
- 75 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RDU, 1 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.