Piper PA-22-150 accident near Merritt Island, Florida, July 23, 1983
On July 23, 1983 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3936P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Merritt Island, Florida (Merritt Island airport). It was a personal 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
- July 23, 1983 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Merritt Island, Florida · Merritt Island · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3936P · registry record · serial 22-3611
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT REPORTED THAT DURING THE PREFLT, HE DID NOT VISUALLY CHECK THE FUEL TANKS, BUT RELIED OF THE FUEL GAUGES. THEY INDICATED THERE WAS 7 GAL IN THE LEFT TANK & 4 GAL IN THE RIGHT TANK. THE PLT TOOK OFF USING FUEL FROM THE LEFT TANK TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS, THEN A SHORT TIME LATER, CHANGED TO THE RIGHT TANK. WHILE TAKING OFF FROM THE 2ND TOUCH-AND-GO, THE ENG LOST POWER AT APRX 400 FT AGL. THE PLT ATTTEMPTED TO SWITCH BACK TO THE LEFT TANK, BUT MADE AN EMERGENCY LANDING WITH THE FUEL SELECTOR BACK ON THE RIGHT TANK. THE ACFT CAME TO REST, UPRIGHT, IN A DRAINAGE DITCH. THE PLT REPORT THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL-OUT, THE ACFT WENT INTO HEAVY BRUSH & THAT HE WAS NOT AWARE OF THE LOCATION OF THE DITCH. FOUR GAL OF FUEL WAS DRAINED FROM THE THE LEFT TANK, BUT NO FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK.
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: 538 hours in all; 375 in this make and model; 12 in the last 90 days; 11 as pilot in command; 11 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,741 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 1, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 1,950 lb
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 3,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:51 pm from MLB, 13 miles away
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.