Piper PA-32-300 accident near Vero Beach, Florida, December 21, 1983
On December 21, 1983 at about 5:44 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4095R, was destroyed in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida (Vero Beach airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- December 21, 1983 · about 5:44 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · Vero Beach · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4095R · no longer on the register · serial 32-4049
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RWY 29L THE ENG BEGAN TO LOSE POWER. A TURN BACK TO THE ARPT WAS MADE WHEN THE ENG QUIT & THE ACFT STRUCK TREES & BUSHES ABOUT 350 FT SHORT OF RWY 11L. TEARDOWN OF THE ENG & FUEL INJECTOR SYSTEM REVEALED THAT THE INJECTOR FOR THE #5 CYL WAS TOTALLY PLUGGED & THE INJECTOR FOR THE #6 CYL WAS 50% BLOCKED. THE LAST ANNUAL WAS ON 10/7/83 & THERE WAS NO EVIDENCE OF THE FUEL INJECTORS BEING CLEANED.
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: 395 hours in all; 87 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,424 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 7, 1983; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 5
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29L, 2,650 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 600 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 75°F (24°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from VRB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.