Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Collier Twnshp, Pennsylvania, September 14, 1983
On September 14, 1983 at about 6:31 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N84703, was destroyed in an accident near Collier Twnshp, Pennsylvania (Greater Pittsburgh Int'L airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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 14, 1983 · about 6:31 pm local time
- Place
- Collier Twnshp, Pennsylvania · Greater Pittsburgh Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N84703 · no longer on the register · serial 32R-8213011
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PLT CONTACTED APCH CONTROL & WAS PROVIDED RADAR VECTORS FOR A VISUAL APCH. WHILE ON THE APCH, HE WAS INSTRUCTED TO KEEP HIS SPEED UP UNTIL HE WAS 1 1/2 MI ON FINAL. VECTORS WERE PROVIDE WITH TURNS AS NECESSARY UNTIL THE ACFT WAS 6 1/2 TO 7 MI FROM THE RWY. AT THAT TIME, THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD THE ARPT IN SIGHT. HE WAS THEN INSTRUCTED TO PROCEED INBOUND FOR RWY 32 & TO KEEP HIS SPEED UP AS LONG AS FEASIBLE. THE PLT ACKNOWLEDGED. SHORTLY AFTER THAT, RADIO & RADAR CONTACT WERE LOST. A NUMBER OF WITNESSES HEARD & SAW THE ACFT AT A FASTER THAN NORMAL SPEED. SEVERAL SAW THE ACFT & DEBRIS FALLING AFTER AN IN-FLT BREAKUP OCCURRED. EVIDENCE WAS FOUND THAT THE WINGS & RIGHT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD SEPARATED DOWNWARD & THE LEFT HORIZONTAL STABILIZER HAD SEPARATED UPWARD. THE AILERON, RUDDER & STABILIZER BALANCE WTS WERE STILL IN PLACE. RADAR DATA REVEALED THAT THE GROUND SPEED ON FINAL APCH HAD INCREASED TO 208 KTS. THE NEVER EXCEED SPEED (VNE) WAS 189 KCAS & 197 KIAS. ANOTHER PLT REPORTED LGT TO MOD TURB.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 383 hours in all; 12 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 292 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 334 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 2, 1983; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wright Bros. Aero CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: DAY Dayton OH at 5:09 pm
- Destination: PIT Pittsburgh PA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 32, 8,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,300 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from PIT, 6 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.