Piper 601P accident near Helendale, California, November 6, 1983
On November 6, 1983 at about 11:50 pm local time, a Piper 601P, registered N9774Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Helendale, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 6 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
- November 6, 1983 · about 11:50 pm local time
- Place
- Helendale, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 6 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 601P
- Registration
- N9774Q · no longer on the register · serial 61P-0402-140
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING CRUISE FLIGHT THE RIGHT ENGINE MANIFOLD PRESSURE FELL TO ZERO. THE ENGINE WAS FEATHERED AND SET UP FOR SINGLE ENGINE PERFORMANCE BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND. SUITABLE AIRPORTS WERE FLOWN OVER DURING THE DESCENT AND THE ACFT FINALLY LANDED IN AN ALFALFA FIELD. EXAMIATION OF THE RIGHT ENGINE REVEALED SEVERE FIRE DAMAGE TO THE IGNITION WIRING HARNESS AND BOTH MAGNETO 'P' LEADS SHORTED. AN OIL VENT HOSE ROUTED ON THE OUTBOARD SIDE OF THE INBOARD TURBOCHARGER ALSO DISPLAYED SEVERE HEAT DAMAGE. THE OUTER LAYER OF A HEAT SHIELD ATTACHED TO THE TURBOCHARGER WAS FOUND TORN OPEN AND THE HEAT RESISTANT MATERIAL WAS PUSHED ASIDE OR MISSING FROM AN AREA APPROX ONE INCH SQUARE. THERIGHT ENGINE AND OVERHAULED TURBOCHARGERS HAD BEEN INSTALLED APPROX 9 HOURS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT ACCORDING TO THE HOBBS METER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,230 hours in all; 450 in this make and model; 23 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 7,230 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,842 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 1983; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,700 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-51A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Destination: BUR Burbank CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.