Piper PA-32R-300T accident near Fort Deposit, Alabama, April 7, 1986
On April 7, 1986 at about 1:33 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-300T, registered N22370, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Deposit, Alabama (Lowndnes CO airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 7, 1986 · about 1:33 am local time
- Place
- Fort Deposit, Alabama · Lowndnes CO · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300T PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300Ts on the register
- Registration
- N22370 · registry record · serial 7887250
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF SMOKE AND FLAMES ENTERED THE COCKPIT. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE AIRPORT AND LANDED HARD DAMAGING THE FIREWALL. EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT REVEALED THAT THE TURBO CHARGER EXHAUST CLAMP BROKE AND ALLOWED HOT EXHAUST GASES TO IGNITE A FIRE UNDER THE ENGINE COWLING.
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: 2,000 hours in all; 620 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 1,800 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,418 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 16, 1986; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TSIO-540-SIAD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 67A Fort Deposit AL at 2:30 am
- Destination: MGM Montgomery AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 3,590 ft by 80 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL86LA107.