On October 11, 1984, a Smith, Ted Aerostar AEROSTAR 600 (registration N66CM) was involved in an aviation accident near Abbeville, SC. Investigators recorded the probable cause as: The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing, which resulted in a hard touchdown and subsequent off-runway excursion. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive.
A hard landing caused a tire blowout, leading the aircraft to skid off the runway over debris, resulting in a flash fire and structural damage.
What happened
The accident occurred during the landing phase of flight. The pilot attempted to land the aircraft but executed a hard touchdown. Immediately following impact, the right main tire blew out due to the excessive force.
In an effort to maintain directional control, the pilot applied left brake pressure and left rudder input. Despite these corrective actions, the aircraft continued to drift toward the right side of the runway environment. The plane eventually departed the paved surface and skidded across a pile of debris located adjacent to the runway.
The contact with the debris initiated a flash fire in the underbrush surrounding the wreckage. The force of the skid caused the right main gear assembly to break away from the airframe. The aircraft came to a complete stop approximately 1,400 feet from the approach end of the runway.
Probable cause
The pilot's failure to maintain control during landing, which resulted in a hard touchdown and subsequent off-runway excursion.