Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Gila Bend, Arizona, June 26, 1984
On June 26, 1984 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N4820T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gila Bend, Arizona. 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
- June 26, 1984 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Gila Bend, Arizona · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N4820T · no longer on the register · serial 28R-7235116
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A FORCED LANDING WAS MADE ON A ROAD AFTER THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE ENG DUE TO A 'RUN-AWAY' PROP. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK A REFLECTOR POST FOLLOWED BY THE RIGHT WING STRIKING A SIGN POST. AN ENG OVERHAUL & AN ANNUAL INSPECTION HAD BEEN COMPLETED 20 DAYS PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.DURING AN EXAM AFTER THE ACCIDENT, NO OIL WAS FOUND IN THE ENG AND THE OIL DRAIN PLUG WAS MISSING. THE DRAIN PLUG HAD NOT BEEN SAFETY WIRED AS REQUIRED BY THE MANUFACTURER.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 760 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 669 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,821 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 6, 1984; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DMN Deming NM at 8:00 pm
- Destination: L35 Big Bear CA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 35 statute miles
- Sky: scat
- Temperature: 106°F (41°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from GBN, 2 miles away
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 N4820T 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.