Piper PA-32RT-300 accident near Wellsville, New York, April 8, 1983
On April 8, 1983 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300, registered N3515M, was destroyed in an accident near Wellsville, New York (Wellsville airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 6 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- April 8, 1983 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Wellsville, New York · Wellsville · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 6 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300 PA-32RT-30 · all PA-32RT-300s on the register
- Registration
- N3515M · no longer on the register · serial 32RT7885008
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
JUST PRIOR TO THIS FLT, THE PLT HAD FLOWN FROM HORNELL, NY TO WELLSVILLE, NY. BEFORE DEPARTING HORNELL, HE RADIOED THAT THE VACUUM ANNUNCIATOR LIGHT WAS ON, & DURING A RUN-UP, THE SUCTION GAUGE READ ZERO. GROUND PERSONNEL ADVISED THAT WITH THIS PROBLEM, THE ARTIFICIAL HORIZON, DIRECTIONAL GYRO & AUTOPILOT WOULD BE INOP & TO STAY AWAY FROM CLOUDS. AFTER LANDING AT WELLSVILLE, PASSENGERS ENPLANED WHILE THE ENG WAS RUNNING. THE ACFT DEPARTED WELLSVILLE AT APRX 0925 IN WX ESTIMATED TO BE 900 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 1 1/2 TO 2 MI. APRX 10 MIN LATER, IT CRASHED & BURNED AFTER HITTING TREES ONRISING TERRAIN, APRX 7 MI ESE OF THE ARPT. IT IMPACTED ON A HEADING OF 240 DEG. PRIOR TO IMPACT, WITNESSES NEARBY HEARD AN AIRCRAFT TRAVELING GENERALLY FROM WEST TO EAST THAT SOUNDED LOUD & LOW. ONE STATED HE COULD NOT SEE THE ACFT DUE TO DENSE FOG. THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PLT HAD RECEIVED DUAL INSTRUMENT TRAINING, BUT VERY LITTLE PARTIAL PANEL TRAINING. AN EXAM OF THE VACUUM PUMP REVEALED THE DRIVE SHAFT WAS SHEARED.
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: 404 hours in all; 20 in this make and model; 42 in the last 90 days; 25 in the last 30 days; 353 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 965 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1983; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: ELZ Wellsville NY at 2:30 pm
- Destination: LNS Lancaster PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10, 4,300 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 2 knots
- Sky: overcast; not recorded
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from ELZ, 7 miles away
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.
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.