Piper PA-32RT-300T accident near Columbus, Ohio, July 8, 1983
On July 8, 1983 at about 3:38 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, registered N39487, was destroyed in an accident near Columbus, Ohio. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- July 8, 1983 · about 3:38 pm local time
- Place
- Columbus, Ohio · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 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
- N39487 · no longer on the register · serial 32-7887095
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 1 1/2 MIN AFTER TAKING OFF, THE ACFT WAS CLIMBING THRU APRX 1400 FT AGL WHEN THE ENG LOST MOST OF ITS POWER, SPUTTERED, AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER QUIT RUNNING ALTOGETHER. THE PLT SWITCHED FUEL TANK & TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG BUT WAS UNABLE. THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO GLIDE TO THE ARPT, SO HE ELECTED TO LAND IN A FIELD. AS THE ACFT WAS APPROACHING THE FIELD, THE PLT DID NOT SEE TRANSMISSION WIRES UNTIL THEY WERE DIRECTLY IN FRONT OF THE ACFT. HE MANEUVERED THE ACFT TO AVOID A COLLISION; HOWEVER, A CABLE BECAME WRAPPED AROUND THE PROP & THE LEFT WING HIT A UTILITY POLE. THE ACFT THEN CRASH LANDED IN A FIELD. AN EXAM OF THE ACFT & ENG WAS MADE, BUT NO FUEL CONTAMINATION OR PREIMPACT FAILURES WERE FOUND. AFTER MINOR IMPACT FAILURES WERE REPAIRED, THE ENG WAS STARTED & OPERATED NORMALLY.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,003 hours in all; 1,203 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 1,876 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,489 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CMH Columbus OH at 3:35 pm
- Destination: SUS St. Louis MO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; not recorded at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:40 pm from CMH, 6 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.
Other NTSB records under N39487 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.