Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Howell, Michigan, October 1, 1983
On October 1, 1983 at about 6:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N30027, was destroyed in an accident near Howell, Michigan (Livingston airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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 1, 1983 · about 6:05 pm local time
- Place
- Howell, Michigan · Livingston
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N30027 · registry record · serial 32R7885272
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS ON ITS 1ST FLT AFTER AN ANNUAL INSPECTION. DURING TAKEOFF, A PARTIAL POWER LOSS OCCURRED AT APRX 200 FT AGL. THE PLT INITIATED A TURN BACK TOWARD THE ARPT, THEN ELECTED TO LAND ON OR NEAR THE MEDIAN OF AN INTERSTATE HIGHWAY. DURING THE LANDING, A WINGTIP DRAGGED ON THE SHOULDER OF THE INTERSTATE. THE ACFT THEN SLID ABOUT 200 FT & CAME TO REST ON THE SHOULDER. ABOUT 5 TO 10 MIN LATER, THE ACFT STARTED TO BURN & EXTENSIVE FIRE DAMAGE OCCURRED. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE/MALFUNCTION WAS FOUND DURING AN EXAM OF THE AIRFRAME & POWERPLANT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 510 hours in all; 117 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 393 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,326 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 3H3 Howell MI at 7:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 3,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.