Piper PA-23 accident near Bluefield, West Virginia, February 25, 1984
On February 25, 1984 at about 5:32 pm local time, a Piper PA-23, registered N2160P, was destroyed in an accident near Bluefield, West Virginia (Mercer CO. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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 25, 1984 · about 5:32 pm local time
- Place
- Bluefield, West Virginia · Mercer CO. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23 · all PA-23s on the register
- Registration
- N2160P · no longer on the register · serial 23-762
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CRUISING ON AN IFR FLT AT 10,000 FT, THE PLT INFORMED ATLANTA CENTER THAT HE HAD AN ENG PROBLEM & WAS DECLARING AN EMERGENCY. HE WAS PROVIDED A HEADING TO THE BLUEFIELD ARPT WHICH WAS NEARBY. WHEN ASKED ABOUT THE PROBLEM, HE SAID THE LEFT ENG WAS PROVIDING ONLY PARTIAL POWER. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, THE PASSENGER (HIS WIFE) SAW A BREAK IN THE CLOUDS & THE PLT SAID HE WOULD CIRCLE & TRY TO GET DOWN. HE WAS INFORMED THAT THE HIGHEST OBSTACLE IN THE AREA WAS AT 3800 FT. HE REPORTED GOOD GROUND CONTACT, BUT SAID HE STILL COULD NOT SEE THE ARPT. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT LOW ALT, BUT THE PLT FLEW TO THE BLUEFIELD VOR, ABOUT 1/2 MI FROM THE ARPT. HE THEN ENTERED A TURN AWAY FROM THE ARPT, & SHORTLY AFTER THAT, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES ON HILLY TERRAIN. THE SURFACE TEMP WAS 30 DEG. ICY SLUSH WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT GASCOLATOR. THE FUEL SELECTORS WERE FOUND IN THE 'AUX' POSITIONS. NO PREIMPACT MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE BLADES OF THE LEFT PROP WERE FOUND IN A FLAT ANGLE (NOT FEATHERED) & BENT AFT WITH LITTLE ROTATIONAL DAMAGE.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 468 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 254 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,328 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1984; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B/A3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHO Charlottesville VA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: BNA Nashville TN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 23, 4,742 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,400 ft; not recorded at 1,400 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:33 pm from BLF, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.