Piper PA-31T accident near Concord, California, July 14, 1984
On July 14, 1984 at about 7:12 pm local time, a Piper PA-31T, registered DIKKS, was destroyed in an accident near Concord, California (Buchanan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. 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
- July 14, 1984 · about 7:12 pm local time
- Place
- Concord, California · Buchanan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T · all PA-31Ts on the register
- Registration
- DIKKS · no longer on the register · serial 8120034
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PIPER PA-31T WAS A FOREIGN REGISTERED ACFT (FEDERAL REPUBLIC OF GERMANY). THE OWNER/PLT IN THE LEFT FRONT SEAT HELD A GERMAN COMMERCIAL CERTIFICATE WITH AIRPLANE INSTRUMENT, SINGLE ENG LAND & MULTI-ENG LAND RATINGS. THE PLT IN THE RIGHT FRONT SEAT HELD AN AMERICAN PRIVATE CERTIFICATE WITH AN AIRPLANE SINGLE ENG LAND RATING. DURING ARRIVAL, THE ACFT WAS CLEARED TO ENTER A RIGHT TRAFFIC PATTERN FOR RWY 32R & WAS TO FOLLOW A DECATHLON THAT WAS LANDING ON THE SAME RWY. WHEN THE PA-31 AIRCREW CALLED TURNING ONTO A BASE LEG, THE TOWER ASKED IF THEY HAD THE DECATHLON IN SIGHT, BUT THEY DID NOT REPLY. THE DECATHLON PLT WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO CHANGE HIS APCH TO 32L & WAS CLEARED TO LAND. THE PA-31 WAS OBSERVED TO OVERSHOOT THE TURN TO THE FINAL APCH COURSE TO RWY 32R. WITNESSES REPORTED THE ACFT MADEAN ERRATIC, SLOW SPEED, NOSE HI TURN AT LOW ALT, THEN IT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN, NOSE DOWN SPIN, CRASHED & BURNED. IMPACT OCCURRED ON A GROUND STRUCTURE. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO PREIMPACT/PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION. FIRE DMG TO 5 AUTOS.
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: foreign licence
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 9,000 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-28 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: SMO Santa Monica CA at 7:10 am
- Destination: CCR Concord CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,600 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:12 pm from CCR, 5 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.