Piper PA-28-235 accident near St.Simons Is., Georgia, July 20, 1984
On July 20, 1984 at about 4:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8553N, was substantially damaged in an accident near St.Simons Is., Georgia (Malcolm Mckinnon 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
- July 20, 1984 · about 4:45 pm local time
- Place
- St.Simons Is., Georgia · Malcolm Mckinnon · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8553N · no longer on the register · serial 28-11352
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER A POWER LOSS ON FINAL APCH. THE PLT REPORTED TO FSS ON A 3 MILE FINAL AND THEN REPORTED THE POWER LOSS AND SAID HE WOULD MAKE A 'DEAD STICK' LANDING. SHORTLY THEREAFTER, FSS RECEIVED AN ELT SIGNAL. THE ACFT WAS FOUND 3/4 OF A MILE FROM THE APCH END OF RWY 15. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT AUX POSITION. THIS TANK HAD ONLY 5 GALS IN IT AT DEPARTURE AND THE ACFT HAD FLOWN APRX 20 MINS WITH AN EN ROUTE STOP. THE RT WING TANKS CONTAINED THE SAME AMT OF FUEL AS AT TAKEOFF. THE LEFT WING TANKS WERE RUPTURED.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 2,107 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 2,107 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,615 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 19, 1983; 23 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A4D5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BQK Brunswick GA at 4:20 pm
- Destination: SSI St.Simons Is. GA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; scat at 700 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 70°F (21°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:44 pm from SSI, 1 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.