Piper PA-32-300 accident near Tinian, Cq, May 27, 1997
On May 27, 1997 at about 9:05 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4510X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tinian (West Tinian Island airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper takeoff abort. Contributing to the accident was the pilot's improper preflight planning and preparation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 27, 1997 · about 9:05 am local time
- Place
- Tinian, CQ · West Tinian Island
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4510X · no longer on the register · serial 7640031
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the takeoff was normal. As he attempted to adjust the pitch attitude during climb out of ground effect, the control yoke locked in position and could not be moved fore or aft. He aborted the takeoff and porpoised the remaining 1,500 feet down the runway collapsing the nose landing gear. A postaccident examination by two FAA inspectors failed to find any type of control interference. The inspectors reported that the company station manager said the pilot had initially reported 'odd vibrations' just before the abort.
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; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 915 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 744 as pilot in command; 229 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TNI OF at 9:00 am
- Destination: PGSN Saipan OF
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 8, 6,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,600 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from TNI, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| 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.