Piper PA-32-300 accident near Bermuda Dunes, California, August 22, 1983
On August 22, 1983 at about 4:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N3957X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bermuda Dunes, California (Bermuda Dunes 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
- August 22, 1983 · about 4:55 pm local time
- Place
- Bermuda Dunes, California · Bermuda Dunes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N3957X · no longer on the register · serial 32-764003
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT DURING SHORT FINAL & TOUCHED DOWN IN SANDY TERRAIN A FEW FEET SHORT OF THE RWY. THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR FAILED AS THE ACFT STRUCK THE END OF THE ASPHALT RWY. THE PLT HAD BEEN ADVISED OVER UNICOM OF A POSSIBLE WIND SHEAR DUE TO THE WIND DIRECTION.
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
- Flight time: 1,200 hours in all; 48 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,160 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,686 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 11, 1983; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-KIAS (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,030 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N3957X 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.