Piper PA-34-200T accident near Prescott, Arizona, December 31, 1982
On December 31, 1982 at about 6:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N477BL, was substantially damaged in an accident near Prescott, Arizona (Ernest A. Love airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- December 31, 1982 · about 6:40 pm local time
- Place
- Prescott, Arizona · Ernest A. Love · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N477BL · no longer on the register · serial 34-7870292
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING THE LANDING ROLL. ON-SCENE EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR WAS DOWN & LOCKED, BUT A MATERIAL FAILURE IN THE TRUNNION ALLOWED THE GEAR TO ROTATE OUT & CLOCKWISE LEADING TO COLLAPSE. A SIMILARLY LOCATED CRACK HAD BEEN DISCOVERED ON THE LEFT MAIN GEAR ASSEMBLY 67 FLIGHT-HOURS BEFORE THE ACCIDENT. INSPECTION OF THE RIGHT GEAR ASSEMBLY AT THAT TIME REVEALED NO DISCREPANCIES.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 920 hours in all; 413 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 751 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Unknown (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,756 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 76 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-36O-EB1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Santa Monica CA at 8:30 am
- Destination: C Prescott AZ
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 3, 7,618 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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 N477BL 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.