Piper PA-32-260 accident near Lake Butler, Florida, May 29, 1983
On May 29, 1983 at about 3:51 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N43499, was destroyed in an accident near Lake Butler, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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
- May 29, 1983 · about 3:51 pm local time
- Place
- Lake Butler, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N43499 · registry record · serial 32-7400044
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 0953 EDT, THE PLT DEPARTED ON AN IFR FLT WITH FULL FUEL TANKS. THE LEFT MAIN FUEL TANK WAS USED FOR APRX 1 HR, THEN THE RIGHT MAIN WAS SELECTED. JUST BEFORE STARTING A DESCENT, WHILE STILL USING THE RIGHT MAIN TANK, THE ENG QUIT. THE PLT SWITCHED FUEL TANKS & TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG, BUT WAS UNSUCCESSFUL. VFR CONDITIONS WERE ENCOUNTERED AT 1800 FT & A SMALL CLEARING (MOST SUITABLE AREA) WAS SELECTED FOR A LANDING. AS THE PLT UNLOCKED THE CABIN DOOR, THE RIGHT FRONT PASSENGER UNLOCKED HER SEATBELT. THE ACFT WAS HEADING FOR A HOUSE BEYOND THE CLEARING, SO THE PLT DELIBERATELY HIT A TREE WITH THE LEFT WING. THE PASSENGER, WHO UNLOCKED HER SEAT BELT, WAS SERIOUSLY INJURED. AN EXAM REVEALED A RUDDER CONNECTOR IN THE RIGHT VENT LINE HAD DETERIORATED & HAD BLOCKED THE VENT & THE RUDDER FLAPPER IN THE VENTED FUEL CAP WASSTUCK. THE MAINT FACILITY, THE OWNER WAS USING, HAD OUTDATED MANUALS WHICH DID NOT CALL FOR REQUIRED INSPECTION OF VENT HOSES. FUEL SELECTOR FOUND ON R MAIN POSITION, PLT UNSURE WHER/HOW LONG SHE POSITIONED SELECTOR DURING ATMTD ENG RESTART
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 354 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 83 in the last 90 days; 288 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,873 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 6, 1983; 59 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DNL Augusta GA
- Destination: GNV Gainesville
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 1,800 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:58 pm from GNV, 20 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.