Piper PA-32-301R accident near Near Vero Beach, Florida, January 3, 1983
On January 3, 1983, a Piper PA-32-301R, registered N35590, was substantially damaged in an accident near Near Vero Beach, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- January 3, 1983
- Place
- Near Vero Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-301R · all PA-32-301Rs on the register
- Registration
- N35590 · registry record · serial 32R-8013020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREE TOPS DURING A NIGHT FLIGHT BUT THE PILOT WAS ABLE TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND LAND AT A NEARBY AIRPORT. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT HE WAS ON APPROACH TO FORT PIERCE AIRPORT WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED. HOWEVER ACCORDING TO SOME WITNESSES WHO WERE FISHING, A DARKENED ACFT CAME OVER THEIR POSITION IN A REMOTE AREA ABOUT 13 MILES WEST OF VERO BEACH AND CLIPPED THE TOPS OF CYPRESS TREES. CYPRESS TREE DEBRIS WAS FOUND IN THE WING OF THE DAMAGED ACFT. THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO STATE THE RUNWAY HE WAS USING AT FT. PIERCE WHEN QUESTIONED LATER.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 296 hours in all; 81 in this make and model; 52 in the last 90 days; 251 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 857 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 14, 1982; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Statsboro GA at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 200° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:55 pm from VRB, 13 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N35590 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.