Piper PA-24-250 accident near Meriden, Connecticut, December 2, 1984
On December 2, 1984 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N7453P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Meriden, Connecticut (Meriden airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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 2, 1984 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- Meriden, Connecticut · Meriden
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N7453P · no longer on the register · serial 24-2642
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE, PLT HEARD AN ABNORMAL SOUND FROM THE LEFT SIDE OF THE ENGINE COMPARTMENT AND HAVING HAD PREVIOUS PROBLEMS WITH THE NEWLY-INSTALLED ENGINE, ELECTED TO MAKE A PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT A NEARBY ARPT TO INVESTIGATE. PLT STATED HE LANDED LONG AND WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE ACFT BEFORE RUNNING OFF THE END OF THE PREPARED SURFACE. SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE UNDERCARRIAGE ATTACH FITTING WAS INCURRED DUE TO ROUGH TERRAIN.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,099 hours in all; 1,510 in this make and model; 75 in the last 90 days; 5,016 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,841 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 21, 1984
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HVN New Haven CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 3,058 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.