Piper PA-23-250 accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania, December 29, 1983
On December 29, 1983 at about 4:56 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N14360, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Mifflin, Pennsylvania (Allegheny County airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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
- December 29, 1983 · about 4:56 am local time
- Place
- West Mifflin, Pennsylvania · Allegheny County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N14360 · no longer on the register · serial 27-7304945
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING THE COCKPIT PREFLIGHT THE PLT NOTICED AN UNSAFE NOSE GEAR INDICATION. THE PLT CHECKED THE NOSE GEAR & COULD SEE NOTHING UNUSUAL, & CONCLUDED THAT THERE WAS A FAULTY INDICATING SYSTEM. DURING ROTATION THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED & THIS ACFT SLID DOWN THE RUNWAY. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE ACFT WAS PLACED ON JACKS & NO MALFUNCTIONS OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM WAS FOUND. HOWEVER, THE NOSE GEAR LEG, BRACES, & LOCKING MECHANISM WAS FOUND HEAVILY COATED WITH GREASE & SAND.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,941 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 3,691 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,365 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Burke Lakefront OH
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 28, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.