Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Suffolk, Virginia, April 27, 1984
On April 27, 1984 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N37MA, was destroyed in an accident near Suffolk, Virginia (Suffolk airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- April 27, 1984 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Suffolk, Virginia · Suffolk · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N37MA · registry record · serial 32R-7780429
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE INITIAL TAKEOFF CLIMB THE ACFT CONTACTED POWER LINES LOCATED 584 FT FROM THE END OF THE RWY. THIS WAS AN INITIAL TEST FLT OF THE ACFT AFTER HAVING THE ENGINE OVERHAULED. THE PLT STATED AT AN ALT OF APRX 50 FT AGL THE ENGINE BEGAN TO LOSE POWER AND THE 50 FT ALT WAS REACHED NEAR THE RWY 7/25 INTERSECTION. THIS LEFT APRX 1400 FT OF RWY PLUS A 550 FT OVERRUN AREA REMAINING. THE PLT STATED THAT AFTER ACCOMPLISHING THE EMERGENCY CHECKLIST IT WAS NOTICED THE POWER HAD REDUCED EVEN FURTHER. THE TAKEOFF WAS CONTINUED AND THE POWER LINES WERE CONTACTED. TWO WITNESSES STATED THEY HEARD NO POWER INTERRUPTION. ONE OF THESE WITNESSES STATED THE ACFT BOUNCED ON THE RWY DURING THE TAKEOFF ROLL AND THE CLIMB WAS INITIATED LATE. POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION OF THE ENGNE AND PROPELLER REVEALED NO VISIBLE ABMORNALITIES.
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: instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,434 hours in all; 29 in this make and model; 2,419 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 823 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1983; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: Suffolk VA at 4:49 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,200 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 48°F (9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from ORF, 23 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.