Piper PA-31T accident near Riviera, Arizona, February 8, 1984
On February 8, 1984 at about 6:10 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered N36CA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Riviera, Arizona (Bullhead City airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- February 8, 1984 · about 6:10 pm local time
- Place
- Riviera, Arizona · Bullhead City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- N36CA · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACFT LOST PWR ON THE LEFT ENG DURING CLIMB TO CRUISE APRX 8 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. ARPT MGR HEARD UNICOM TRANSMISSION FROM N36CA, 'WE LOST AN ENG, WE'RE COMING BACK.' A WARNING HORN (POSSIBLY GEAR WARNING OR STALL HORN) WAS HEARD IN THE BACKGROUND OF THE TRANSMISSION. WHEN N36CA FAILED TO RETURN THE ARPT MGR CALLED THE SHERIFF & BEGAN SEARCH IN HIS OWN ACFT. N36CA WAS LOCATED APRX 1 HOUR AFTER IT'S DEPARTURE. THE FORCED LANDING WAS IN A FLAT, WINGS LEVEL ATTITUDE WITH 22DEGS OF FLAPS EXTENDED. INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED IN AREA OF 8 FT HIGH BRUSH. DISTANCE FROM INITIAL IMPACT TO FINAL REST WAS 595 FT ON HEADING OF 140 DEGS. ALTHOUGH RESTRAINED BY LAP BELT AND HARNESS, PLT HIT HEAD ON CO-PLT'S CONTOL YOKE DURING THE ACCIDENT. THE LEFT ENG TURBINE BLADE HAD FAILED IN FATIGUE. THE PLT'S SON SAID HIS FATHER SHUT DOWN THE RIGHTENG IN-FLT AND AS A RESULT THE ACFT HAD NO PWR ON EITHER ENG.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,081 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, November 4, 1983; 69 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: P06 Bullhead City AZ at 6:00 pm
- Destination: SNA Santa Ana CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 45 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:55 pm from EED, 19 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.