Piper PA-28-180 accident near Port St. Joe, Florida, July 3, 1984
On July 3, 1984 at about 6:02 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4980L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port St. Joe, Florida (Jones Homestead airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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 3, 1984 · about 6:02 pm local time
- Place
- Port St. Joe, Florida · Jones Homestead · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4980L · no longer on the register · serial 284355
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON FINAL APCH TO LAND AT A PRIVATE ARPT, THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH POWER LINES NEAR THE APCH END OF THE RWY. THE PLT STATED THAT HE DID NOT SEE THE POWER LINES UNTIL JUST PRIOR TO IMPACT. HE ATTEMPTED TO FLY UNDER THE LINES, BUT THE VERTICAL STABILIZER OF THE ACFT STRUCK THE WIRES. THE ACFT THEN CRASHED UNCONTROLLED ON THE RWY.
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: student
- Flight time: 73 hours in all; 16 in this make and model; 37 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 27, 1983; 231 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTR Babins LA
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,500 ft; not recorded at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 73°F (23°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from TLH, 41 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.