Piper PA-24-180 accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina, February 22, 1983
On February 22, 1983 at about 11:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-180, registered N6313P, was destroyed in an accident near Hendersonville, North Carolina (Asheville Regional airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 22, 1983 · about 11:51 pm local time
- Place
- Hendersonville, North Carolina · Asheville Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-180 · all PA-24-180s on the register
- Registration
- N6313P · no longer on the register · serial 24-1423
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER REPORTING LEVEL AT 7,000 FT IN RAIN, THE PLT REPORTED THAT ALTITUDE COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED DUE TO A POWER LOSS. HE STATED THAT '...WE'RE DOWN TO ABOUT FOURTEEN INCHES AND WE JUST BROKE OUT AND I GOT THE LIGHTS.' AT 1849, AFTER A DISCUSSION WITH ATC CONCERNING AIRPORTS AVAILABLE, THE PLT REPORTED A COMPLETE POWER LOSS AT 4,000 FT. HE STATED HE WOULD '...GO FOR HENDERSON' AND INDICATED THAT HE WAS IN THE CLOUDS. THE ACFT IMPACTED A HEAVELY WOODED HILLSIDE ABOUT 4.5 MI SE AND ON THE EXTENDED CENTERLINE OF RWY 16 OF ASHEVILLE REGIONAL ARPT. THE TEMP/DEW POINT AT ASHEVILLE WAS 49/49. THE FORECASTED TEMP AT 6,000 FT & 9,000 FT WAS +39 DEG & +32 DEG RESPECTIVELY. TWO OTHER PLT'S FLYING IN THE AREAREPORTED ICING AT 8,000 FT & 9,000 FT. THE CARBURETOR HEAT DOOR WAS FOUND JAMMED IN THE COLD (OFF) POSITION. THE CARB HEAT KNOB WAS IN THE COLD (OFF) POSITION.
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; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,444 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 23 in the last 30 days; 1,390 as pilot in command; 1,055 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,852 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983; 44 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AVL Asheville NC
- Destination: W77 Sanford NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,200 ft; scat at 200 ft
- Temperature: 48°F (9°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:58 pm from AVL, 5 miles away
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.