Piper PA-31-350 accident near Near Lakeland, Florida, September 2, 1982
On September 2, 1982 at about 7:16 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N62957, was destroyed in an accident near Near Lakeland, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- September 2, 1982 · about 7:16 pm local time
- Place
- Near Lakeland, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N62957 · no longer on the register · serial 3107752005
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS CONDUCTING SINGLE-ENG FLT TESTS WITH THE INBOARD GEAR DOORS REMOVED & WAS BEING PHOTOGRAPHED BY A CHASE ACFT. AT THE END OF THE TESTS THE PLT WAS UNABLE TO RESTART THE LEFT ENG & RETURNED FOR A SINGLE-ENG LANDING. THE PLT OVERSHOT THE LANDING ATTEMPT & EXECUTED A SINGLE-ENG GO-AROUND. THE PLT THEN REPORTED HE HAD A GEAR PROBLEM. AN OCCUPANT OF THE CHASE ACFT REPORTED THAT THE MAIN GEAR WERE HANGING 75 TO 80 DEG FROM THE HORIZONTAL. A COMPANY EMPLOYEE AT THE ARPT REPORTED THAT THE NOSE GEAR WAS ABOUT 10 DEG AFT OF THE NORMAL DOWN & LOCKED POSITION. THE ACFT CONTINUED ON A WSW HEADING AWAY FROM THE ARPT, PASSING OVER SEVERAL SUITABLE EMERGENCY LANDING SITES WHILE IN A SLOW DESCENT UNTIL COLLIDING WITH THE GUY/GROUNDING WIRE ATOP A POWERLINE POLE 4 MI WSW OF THE ARPT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,327 hours in all; 179 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 3,218 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,255 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Piper Aircraft Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: Lakeland FL at 2:30 pm
- Destination: Lakeland FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 192°F (89°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.