Piper PA-31-325 accident near Eglin Afb, Florida, May 7, 1984
On May 7, 1984 at about 2:18 am local time, a Piper PA-31-325, registered N3586W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Eglin Afb, Florida (Eglin Afb airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- May 7, 1984 · about 2:18 am local time
- Place
- Eglin Afb, Florida · Eglin Afb · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-325 · all PA-31-325s on the register
- Registration
- N3586W · no longer on the register · serial 31-8112016
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER ARRIVING AT EGLIN AFB, THE PLT DETERMINED HE WOULD NEED MORE FUEL TO COMPLETE THE NEXT LEG OF THE FLT. HOWEVER, THERE WAS NO AVGAS REFUELING AVAILABLE AT EGLIN. THE PLT DISEMBARKED THE PAX & FLEW IFR TO FT WALTON BEACH TO REFUEL. A MISSED APPROACH WAS EXECUTED AT FT WALTON BEACH & THE PLT DIVERTED BACK TO EGLIN AFB. APRX 3 MI FROM EGLIN, THE RGT ENG QUIT. ON SHORT FINAL, THE LEFT ENG SURGED & THE PLT FEATHERED THE LEFT PROP. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO MANUALLY LOWER THE LANDING GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR DID NOT FULLY EXTEND & THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR DID NOT FULLY LOCK DOWN. AN INVESTIGATIONREVEALED THAT ALL FOUR FUEL TANKS WERE VIRTUALLY EMPTY, EXCEPT THE LEFT AUX TANK HAD ABOUT 5.5 GALS REMAINING. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE FUEL GAGES INDICATED THE TANKS WERE ABOUT 1/4 FULL JUST BEFORE THE ENGS LOST POWER.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,600 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 3,600 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,517 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, April 19, 1984; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TSIO-540-F213 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VPS Eglin Afb FL
- Destination: 81J Ft Walton Bch FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 30, 13,000 ft by 300 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 160° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 400 ft; not recorded at 400 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:25 am from VPS
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.