Piper J4A accident near Gardner, Massachusetts, July 14, 1984
On July 14, 1984 at about 2:40 pm local time, a Piper J4A, registered N33290, was destroyed in an accident near Gardner, Massachusetts (Gardner airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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
- July 14, 1984 · about 2:40 pm local time
- Place
- Gardner, Massachusetts · Gardner
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper J4A · all J4As on the register
- Registration
- N33290 · no longer on the register · serial 41362
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING CLIMBOUT, PLT NOTED SLIGHT PWR LOSS, APPLIED CARB HEAT & ENG REGAINED PWR. ON REMOVAL OF CARB HEAT, PWR LOSS (APRX 200 RPM) AGAIN OCCURRED. APPLICATION OF CARB HEAT AGAIN RESORTED PWR BUT PLT ELECTED TO TURN BACK TO FIELD AND LAND. DURING TURN, PLT BELIEVES A WIND GUST CAUSED THE LEFT WING TO DROP. PLT STATED TO WITNESS HE HAD FULL BACK STICK AND FULL AILERON CONTROL INPUTS BUT ACFT DID NOT RECOVER FROM LEFT WING DOWN, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE BEFORE GROUND IMPACT. TEMP 85 DEGS, DEW POINT 65 DEGS, DENSITY ALT 3,000 FT. AUTOMOTIVE FUEL WAS BEING USED. ACFT WAS NEAR GROSS WEIGHT. ALT AT PWR LOSS WAS 200 FT AGL.
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: 66 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 16 in the last 30 days; 126 as pilot in command; 127 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,200 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental A-65 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Destination: ORE Orange MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 8 knots, gusting 12
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 64°F (18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.