Piper PA-23-250 accident near Washington, District of Columbia, October 27, 1984
On October 27, 1984 at about 4:42 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N6235Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Washington, District of Columbia (National airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. 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
- October 27, 1984 · about 4:42 pm local time
- Place
- Washington, District of Columbia · National · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N6235Y · registry record · serial 27-3467
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER A HIGH & FAST APCH, ACFT TOUCHED DOWN BEYOND MIDFIELD ON RWY 36 AT DCA. PLT DELAYED INITIATING A GO AROUND UNTIL HE WAS SURE THE ACFT WOULD NOT STOP IN THE RWY REMAINING. ON INITIAL CLIMB THE ACFT STRUCK TWO APCH LIGHTS AT THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RWY, DAMAGING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WHICH COLLAPSED ON THE ENSUING LANDING. INVESTIGATION DISCLOSED THE ACFT WAS VECTORED TO A 4 MILE RT BASE AT 2500 FT. THE PLT LATER STATED HE CONTINUED THE APCH BECAUSE HE WANTED TO COOPERATE SINCE THE ARPT WAS 'SO BUSY AND IT CAN CAUSE DELAYS FOR AIR CARRIER JETS IF A GENERAL AVIATION PLANE HAS TO GO AROUND.'
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: 2,798 hours in all; 2,470 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 2,564 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,298 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 8, 1984; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LDJ Linden NJ at 3:02 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 36, 6,859 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 68°F (20°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:55 pm from DCA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.