Piper PA-46-310P accident near Vero Beach, Florida, August 20, 1984
On August 20, 1984 at about 6:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-46-310P, registered N4371Y, was destroyed in an accident near Vero Beach, Florida. It was an other work-use 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
- August 20, 1984 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Vero Beach, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-46-310P · all PA-46-310Ps on the register
- Registration
- N4371Y · no longer on the register · serial 46-8408082
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Other work-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ON POST-PRODUCTION TEST FLT, PLT NOTED SYMPTOMS OF UNCOMMANDED LEAN MIXTURE AND TURNED TO RETURN FOR LANDING. EN ROUTE TO AIRPORT, ENG LOST PWR COMPLETELY. ON BASE LEG FOR FORCED LANDING (OFF AIRPORT) FIRE BROKE OUT IN ENG AREA AND BURNED THROUGH HYDRAULIC LINE CAUSING GEAR TO EXTEND. DUE TO INCREASED GLIIDE ANGLE, PLANNED FLT PATH WOULD NOT CLEAR OBSTRUCTION (DRAW BRIDGE). WHEN THE PLT MANEUVERED TO AVOID THE OBSTACLE, THE ACFT STALLED, MUSHED AND COLLIDED WITH A BOAT DOCK. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A LOOSE FUEL LINE FITTING.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,694 hours in all; 137 in this make and model; 252 in the last 90 days; 1,126 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, August 20, 1984; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,100 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-BE (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VRB Vero Beach FL at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,000 ft; not recorded at 2,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:05 pm from VRB
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.