Piper 601P accident near Burbank, California, September 4, 1982
On September 4, 1982 at about 9:04 pm local time, a Piper 601P, registered N3642Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burbank, California (Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena 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
- September 4, 1982 · about 9:04 pm local time
- Place
- Burbank, California · Burbank-Glendale-Pasadena · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 601P
- Registration
- N3642Y · no longer on the register · serial 61P-08298163
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LIFT-OFF THE RIGHT ENGINE FAILED. THE TAKEOFF WAS ABORTED & THE PLT SWERVED THE ACFT TO AVOID A BLAST FENCE AT THE END OF THE RWY. THE LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAILED & THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE FENCE. MAINTENANCE RECORDS REVEALED A TOTAL OF 12 DISCREPANCIES PERTAINING TO FUEL FLOW ON THE RIGHT ENG BEGINNING 7/14/81. AN ENGINE RUN WAS MADE AFTER THEACCIDENT. WHEN TAKEOFF POWER WAS APPLIED & THE BOOST PUMP WAS TURNED ON, THE ENG QUIT. THE RIGHT ENG-DRIVEN FUEL PUMP, LEAR RG 17980J, WAS THEN BENCH TESTED. THE FUEL PUMP COVER DID NOT APPEAR TO BE PROPERLY SAFETY-WIRED. FUEL LEAKED FROM THE VENT HOLE IN THE CAP DURING PRESSURE TESTING. WHEN THE COVER WAS REMOVED, THE DIAPHRAGM RETAINING NUT FELL OUT ONTO THE TEST BENCH.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,555 hours in all; 150 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 7,500 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 836 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,025 lb
- Seats: 3
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-SIA5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BUR Burbank CA at 2:03 pm
- Destination: SQL San Carlos CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 6,074 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 210°F (99°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:04 pm from BUR
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.