Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Bradley, Florida, December 27, 1984
On December 27, 1984 at about 1:20 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N8227J, was destroyed in an accident near Bradley, Florida. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. 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
- December 27, 1984 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Bradley, Florida
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8227J · no longer on the register · serial 32R8313019
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT COMPLETED A 30 MIN INSURANCE CHECK FLT, THEN LOADED THE ACFT WITH BAGGAGE/PAX & DEPARTED DECAUTER, IL ON A FLT TO NAPLES, FL. A REFUELING STOP WAS MADE AT COLUMBUS, GA. AT 1750 THE ACFT DEPARTED COLUMBUS & CRUISED UNEVENTFULLY UNTIL SOMETIME AFTER 1927 (AFTER THE PLT CONTACTED ARTCC & REPORTED MAINTAINING 9000'). STARTING AT 1953, ATTEMPTS TO CONTACT THE ACFT WERE UNSUCCESSFUL; BUT THE ACFT CONTINUED ON ITS ROUTE UNTIL 2018, THEN IT ENTERED A RGT DESCENDING TURN. RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST AT 2019 AFTER MORE VARIATIONS IN HDG & ALT. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT EXPERIENCED AN IN-FLT BREAKUP. AT THAT TIME, THE ACFT WAS BELIEVED TO HAVE BEEN APRX 188 LBS OVER ITS MAX WT LMT & 0.4 INCH BEHIND ITS AFT CG LMT. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE SHOWED EVIDENCE OF POSITIVE OVERLOAD FAILURE OF THE WINGS & STABILATORS. THERE WAS EVIDENCETHAT THE ALTERNATOR LIGHT WAS ON, BUT THE ALTERNATOR, VOLTAGE REGULATOR & OVERVOLTAGE RELAY CHECKED GOOD. AT 2030, RADARDATA SHOWED PRECIP & CLD TOPS TO 14,000'. THE PLT HAD NOT MET THE IFR REQUIREMENTS OF 14 CFR 61.57.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 403 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 246 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,927 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 17, 1984; 161 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,615 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Decatur Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: CSG Columbus GA at 10:50 pm
- Destination: APF Naples FL
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 080° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,500 ft; not recorded at 4,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 66°F (19°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N8227J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.