Piper PA-34-200T accident near Tampa, Florida, March 27, 1985
On March 27, 1985 at about 4:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N8300V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tampa, Florida (Peter O Knight airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- March 27, 1985 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tampa, Florida · Peter O Knight · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8300V · no longer on the register · serial 34-8170045
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT DURING TAKEOFF FROM RWY 17, THE RIGHT ENG LOST POWER AT AN ALT OF ABOUT 50 TO 60 FT. HE ATTEMPTED TOTURN BACK & LAND, BUT TOUCHED DOWN 90 DEG TO RWY 03 & SLID APRX 100 YARDS, COLLAPSING THE LANDING GEAR & SEPARATING THE RIGHT WING FROM THE FUSELAGE. A CHECK OF THE RIGHT ENG WAS MADE, BUT NO DETERMINATION COULD BE MADE AS T0 THE NATURE OF THE MALFUNCTION OF THE ENG AS DESCRIBED BY THE PLT.
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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 777 hours in all; 146 in this make and model; 39 in the last 90 days; 704 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,100 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 26, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 4,750 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 7, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from TPA, 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.