Piper PA-32-300 accident near Geneva, Florida, September 23, 1987
On September 23, 1987 at about 10:33 am local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N4010R, was destroyed in an accident near Geneva, Florida. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 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
- September 23, 1987 · about 10:33 am local time
- Place
- Geneva, Florida · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N4010R · registry record · serial 3240303
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
FLT EXPERIENCED ENGINE FAILURE WHEN THE NUMBER SIX CONNECTING ROD SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT AFTER FAILURE OF THE CONNECTING ROD BEARING. DURING AN ATTEMPTED FORCED LANDING DURING DARKNESS THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THEN CRASHED TO THE GROUND. EXAMINATION REVEALED THE NUMBER SIX CONNECTING ROD BEARING TIN OVERLAY PEELED AWAY FROM THE ALUMINUM BEARING FOR UNDETERMINED REASONS. THE ALUMINUM BEARING WAS THEN DAMAGED AND SEPARATED FROM THE ROD. THE CONNECTING ROD THEN OVERHEATED AND SEPARATED FROM THE CRANKSHAFT WHEN THE ROD BOLTS FAILED.
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: 2,500 hours in all; 13 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,939 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 14, 1986; 52 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming TI0-540-K1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COI Cocoa FL at 10:07 am
- Destination: BHM Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dawn
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 72°F (22°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:30 am from SFB, 3 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.