Piper PA-32-300 accident near Niceville, Florida, June 30, 1984
On June 30, 1984 at about 3:16 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N32538, was destroyed in an accident near Niceville, Florida (Ruckel airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- June 30, 1984 · about 3:16 pm local time
- Place
- Niceville, Florida · Ruckel · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N32538 · no longer on the register · serial 327540047
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED INTO TREES SHORT OF THE RWY AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT ON FINAL APPROACH. THE ENGINE FAILED FROM INTERNAL FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR RETENTION SYSTEM. A TEARDOWN REVEALED THAT THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR BOLT HAD BACKED OUT & THE BOLT HEAD WAS NOTED TO HAVE CONTACTED THE OIL PUMP DRIVE TANK. ALSO, THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT FOREIGN MATERIAL HAD PASSED THRU THE GEAR SYS. THE SOURCE OF THE MATERIAL WAS FROM SEVERELY SPALLED TAPPETS. THE CRANKSHAFT GEAR DOWEL PIN WAS SHEARED. SEVERAL CAMSHAFT LOBES WERE WORN WITH CORRESPONDING TAPPET FACE SPALLING. THE INITIAL SOURCE OF THE FAILURE MODE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: 5,390 hours in all; 160 in this make and model; 98 in the last 90 days; 4,938 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,093 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 16, 1983; 198 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K145 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tyndall Afb FL at 2:43 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 36, 3,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:55 pm from VPS, 5 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.