Piper PA-31P accident near Olathe, Kansas, March 9, 1984
On March 9, 1984 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-31P, registered N3TB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olathe, Kansas. 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 9, 1984 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Olathe, Kansas · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31P · all PA-31Ps on the register
- Registration
- N3TB · registry record · serial 7300153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT FL240, A FIRE BROKE OUT IN THE RGT ENG COMPARTMENT. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THE ENG TURBO-CHARGER WAS MALFUNCTIONING. THE PLT SHUT DOWN THE ENG & ASKED FOR RADAR VECTORS TO JOHNSON COUNTY EXECUTIVE ARPT. THE FIRE WENT OUT AT 21,000 FT & THE ACFT LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT. THERE WAS SEVERE BUCKLING OF THE ENG FIREWALL DUE TO THE INTENSE HEAT GENERATED BY THE ENG FIRE. THE TURBO-CHARGER EXHAUST CONNECTING TUBE HAD SEPARATED FROM THE EXHAUST SYSTEM. THE TURBO/ EXHAUST TAILPIPE COUPLING, PN 78012, WAS OUT OF CENTERLINE ALIGNMENT BY 1.043 INCHES. INSTALLATION OF THIS COMPONENT WITHOUT PROPER ALIGNMENT WOULD PROHIBIT FULL DEPTH ENGAGEMENT OF THE TUBE WITH THE CONNECTING EXHAUST SYSTEM COMPONENTS.
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 single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,390 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 180 in the last 90 days; 3,250 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,446 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 30, 1983; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TGIO-541-E1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FFL Fairfield IA at 9:30 pm
- Destination: Houston TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 4,000 ft; not recorded at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:54 pm from OJC
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.