Piper PA-32R-301 accident near Zelienople, Pennsylvania, March 24, 1985
On March 24, 1985 at about 10:30 am local time, a Piper PA-32R-301, registered N8429T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Zelienople, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. 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
- March 24, 1985 · about 10:30 am local time
- Place
- Zelienople, Pennsylvania · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- conditions the NTSB did not record
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301 · all PA-32R-301s on the register
- Registration
- N8429T · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH TREES SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF. PRIOR TO TAKEOFF THE PLT WAS MADE AWARE THAT THE LOCK CYLINDER FOR THE CABIN DOOR WAS BROKEN. UPON REACHING AN ALT OF 1800 FT, THE CABIN DOOR POPPED OPEN. THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO SECURE THE DOOR AFTER ACTIVATING THE AUTOPILOT. THE PLT STATED AN ELECTRICAL FAILURE WAS THEN EXPERIENCED. A 180 DEG TURN WAS MADE IN AN ATTEMPT TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. AFTER VIEWING LIGHTS, WHICH THE PLT BELIEVED TO BE RWY LIGHTS, HE ATTEMPTED TO SET-UP FOR A LANDING WHILE TRYING TO HOLD THE DOOR SHUT. THE ACFT THEN STALLED AND CONTACTED TREES. GROUND WITNESSES REPORTED THAT HEAVY RAIN AND FOG WAS PRESENT IN THE AREA AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 442 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days; 390 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Zelienople PA
- Destination: Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°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.