Piper PA-31 accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida, February 7, 1982
On February 7, 1982 at about 2:15 am local time, a Piper PA-31, registered N747CE, was destroyed in an accident near Ft. Pierce, Florida. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- February 7, 1982 · about 2:15 am local time
- Place
- Ft. Pierce, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31 · all PA-31s on the register
- Registration
- N747CE · registry record · serial 31673
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT NIGHT NEAR A PRIVATE STRIP IN MARGINAL WEATHER CONDITIONS. THE GEAR WAS FOUND IN THE UP POSITION, THE RIGHT ENGINE WAS BROKEN OFF, THE NOSE SECTION WAS CRUSHED BACK TO THE WINDSHIELD, AND BOTH PROPELLERS WERE BENT AND TWISTED. ABOUT 1300 LBS OF MARIJUANA WAS FOUND ON BOARD.
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; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,211 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aircraft Maintenance Corporati
The flight
- Departed from: Montega Bay, Ja at 2:26 pm
- Destination: Fr. Lauderdale FL
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 149°F (65°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.