Piper PA-24-400 accident near Helendale, California, January 24, 1985
On January 24, 1985 at about 11:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-400, registered N3983D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Helendale, California. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- January 24, 1985 · about 11:45 pm local time
- Place
- Helendale, California · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-400 · all PA-24-400s on the register
- Registration
- N3983D · registry record · serial 26-111
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER INITIATING AN ENROUTE LETDOWN, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED A CATASTROPHIC ENGINE FAILURE AT ABOUT 4,500 FT MSL. PLT SELECTED A ROAD FOR AN ATTEMPTED EMERGENCY LANDING, BUT A CAR TURNED ONTO THE ROAD IN FRONT OF HIM AND FORCED A DIVERSION TO A NEARBY FIELD. THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED BERMS, RUTS AND CLUMPS OF BUSHES AFTER TOUCHDOWN. EXAMINATION OF THE ENGINE REVEALED THAT THE NUMBER 6 CYLINDER CONNECTING ROD HAD FAILED NEAR THE CRANKSHAFT END WITH HIGH CYCLE FATIGUE EVIDENT OVER ABOUT 60% OF THE MATERIAL THICKNESS. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT MAINTENANCE RECORDS DISCLOSED THAT SINCE MANUFACTURE IN 1964, THE ACFT HAD ACCRUED A TOTAL OF 1,299 HRS, WITH ONLY 109 HRS IN OPERATION SINCE 1976. LYCOMING PUBLICATIONS INDICATED THAT THE ROD HAD BEEN SUPERCEDED IN PRODUCTION SEVERAL TIMES, WITH THIS PARTICULAR PART NUMBER NOT ALLOWED FOR REUSE AT OVERHAUL. THE MANUFACTURERS RECOMMENDED OVERHAUL PERIOD IS 1,800 HRS OR 10 YEARS TIME IN SERVICE, WHICHEVER COMES FIRST.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 9,997 hours in all; 9 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 8,331 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,299 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 6, 1984; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BLD Boulder City NV at 10:45 pm
- Destination: WJF Lancaster CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from VCV, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.