Piper PA-28-181 accident near New Bedford, Massachusetts, September 1, 1984
On September 1, 1984 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N5399F, was involved in an accident near New Bedford, Massachusetts. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was conditions the NTSB did not record.
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 1, 1984 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- New Bedford, Massachusetts
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N5399F · registry record · serial 287790109
- Damage
- Not recorded
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE RT FRONT SEAT PASS'G EXITED THE ACFT VIA THE RT DOOR AND WENT FORWARD OVER THE LEADING EDGE OF THE WING WHILE THE ACFT ENGINE WAS IDLING AT APRX 1200 RPM. THE ROTATION PROP STRUCK AND INJURIED THE PASS'G WITH SERIOUS CHEST, BACK AND ARM LACERATIONS. THE PLT STATED THAT HE HAD STOPPED THE ACFT IN TRANSIENT PARKING AREA ANS WAS LOOKING FOR HIS CHECKLIST WHEN THE RT FRONT SEAT PASS'G ASKED HIM IF HE COULD OPEN THE RT DOOR SLIGHTLY TO GET SOME AIR. THE PLT SAID THAT HE APPROVED THE OPENING OF THE DOOR. ACCORDING TO THE PLTS STATEMENT THE PASS'G 'HOPPED UP AND EXITED THE ACFT' A FEW MOMENTS LATER, SAYING THAT HE WOULD BE RIGHT BACK. THE PASSG SHUT THE DOOR AFTER LEAVING AND JUMPED FOWARD INTO THE PROP. THE PLT GESTERED IN AN ATTEMPT TO WARN HIM BUT WAS UNABLE TO BE EFFECTIVE DUE TO NOISE & THE CLOSED DOOR. THE INJURED PASS'G IS EXPECTED TO RECOVER WITH NO PERMANENT DISABILITY. IN ADDITION TO LACERATIONS HE SUFFERED A PUNCTURED DIAPHRAM AND A COLLAPSED LEFT LUNG. HE SAID HE FELT PARTIALLY AT FAULT BUT ALSO FELT THAT THE PROP SHOULE HAVE BEEN STOPPED.
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: 1,034 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 53 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 403 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 20, 1984; 51 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming O-360A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: New Bedford MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: not reported
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.