Piper PA-30 accident near Placida, Florida, March 24, 1982
On March 24, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-30, registered N8043Y, was substantially damaged in an accident near Placida, Florida (Rotonda airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- March 24, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Placida, Florida · Rotonda · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-30 · all PA-30s on the register
- Registration
- N8043Y · registry record · serial 301154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT DURING THE BEGINNING OF THE LANDING ROLL THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE LANDING GEARS COLLAPSED. EXAMINATION REVEALED THAT THE RETRACTION TORQUE TUBE ARM FITTING, PIPER P/N 21012-03, WHICH LINKS THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE GEAR TO THE RETRACTION SYSTEM, FAILED.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 869 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 56 in the last 90 days; 761 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,680 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-320B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Lakeland FL at 3:20 pm
- Destination: Placida FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 4,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 172°F (78°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.