Piper PA-32RT-300T accident near Bluefield, West Virginia, February 9, 1984
On February 9, 1984 at about 11:04 am local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, registered N22457, was destroyed in an accident near Bluefield, West Virginia (Mercer County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- February 9, 1984 · about 11:04 am local time
- Place
- Bluefield, West Virginia · Mercer County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300T PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300Ts on the register
- Registration
- N22457 · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7887262
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT BEGAN HIS TAKEOFF DURING THE HOURS OF DARKNESS, BUT IN VMC WX. HE STATED THAT DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AT ABOUT 65 TO 75 KTS JUST PRIOR TO ROTATION, THE LANDING LIGHT EXTINGUISHED. PLT STATED THAT 2 TO 3 SECONDS LATER, HE ROTATED & DUE TO THE LONG NOSE OF THE ACFT, HE LOST SIGHT OF THE RWY LIGHTS. HE CHECKED THE INSTRUMENTS TO KEEP THE ACFT IN A PROPER CLIMB, BUT SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE LEFT WING HIT THE TOP OF A TALL TREE. THE PLT'S FATHER SAID HE OBSERVED THE ACFT ENTERING A LEFT TURN AFTER LIFT-OFF, THEN HE LOST SIGHT OF THE PLANE. THE ONLY SURVIVING PASSENGER SAID THE ENG SOUND REMAINED CONSTANT, BUT THE ACFT VEERED LEFT AFTER LIFT-OFF. MOMENTS LATER, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES, CRASHED & BURNED. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED ON A HEADING OF 030 DEG, ABOUT 500 FT LEFT OF THE RWY. NO PREIMPACT/PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND. THE PLT HAD BEEN TREATED FOR GLAUCOMA & HAD BEEN DENIED A 3RD CLASS MEDICAL CERTIFICATE ON 1/31/84, AWAITING AN EYE EVALUATION. ARPT ELEV 2857 FT; CRASH SITE ELEV APRX 2400 FT
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 210 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 65 in the last 90 days; 165 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 796 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 8, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: CRW Charleston WV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 5, 4,743 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 am from BLF, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 | 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.