Piper PA-31-310 N3538R
14 November 1982 · Spencer, Virginia, United States · Fatal
Summary
On 14 November 1982 at about 23:30 local time, a Piper PA-31-310 registered N3538R, operated by 7 C's Transportation, Inc., was involved in an accident near Spencer, Virginia, United States. 8 people were on board and 8 died. The aircraft was destroyed. No probable cause statement is available for this record.
The record
- Date
- at 23:30
- Classification
- Accident
- Location
- Spencer, Virginia, United States
- Nearest airport
- Blue Ridge Airport (MTV)
- Coordinates
- 36.6105, -80.0106
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-310
- Registration
- N3538R
- Category
- Airplane
- Engines
- 2
- Operator
- 7 C's Transportation, Inc.
- Operating rule
- Part 91: General Aviation
- Purpose of flight
- Personal
- Phase of flight
- Not recorded
- Route
- Spencer → Greenville
- Aircraft damage
- Destroyed
- Weather
- VMC
- Light
- Night/Dark
- NTSB number
- ATL83AA031
People
8 people died.
| On board | Died | Serious | Minor | Uninjured |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 8 | 8 | 0 | 0 | 0 |
Probable cause
The NTSB has not published a probable cause for this record. No probable cause statement is present in the source data.
Nothing about the cause is stated here that is not in the source record.
Read the full NTSB narrative
THE PILOT FILED AN IFR CLEARANCE AND TOOK OFF ON RUNWAY 30 AFTER DARK. AT THAT TIME, THE AIRPORT MANAGER WAS IN HIS LIVING QUARTERS, GETTING READY TO EAT HIS EVENING MEAL. HE REPORTED THAT FROM HIS POSITION, THE TAKEOFF HEIGHT LOOKED NORMAL. AS THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED, HE NOTICED NO UNUSUAL SOUNDS, EXCEPT HE HEARD WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS SHOTS FROM A RIFLE. ANOTHER WITNESS HEARD WHAT HE DESCRIBED AS A LOUD POP AND THE SOUND OF ENGINE SPUTTER FOLLOWED BY A CRASH SOUND. LATER, THE AIRCRAFT WRECKAGE WAS FOUND ABOUT 1 1/2 MI NORTHWEST OF THE AIRPORT. THE INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT IT HAD COLLIDED WITH TREES AND THE WRECKAGE WAS SCATTERED OVER AN AREA ABOUT 1000 FT LONG. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE ENGINES WAS FOUND. THE PROPELLER BLADES WERE FOUND TWISTED AND BENT. THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE ALL ACCOUNTED FOR AND EXAMINED AND NO PREIMPACT FAILURES WERE FOUND. NO BULLET IMPACT MARKS WERE FOUND ON ANY PIECE OF THE WRECKAGE.
Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.
Other Piper PA-31 accidents
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2 Jun 1982 | Piper PA-31-325 | Asheboro, North Carolina, United States | Clarence Roberts/Roberts Avia. | No injuries | - |
| 23 Nov 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Richmond, Virginia, United States | Mid South Airlines, Inc. | No injuries | - |
| 30 Apr 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Enterprise, Alabama, United States | Huntsville Aviation | No injuries | - |
| 2 Sep 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Near Lakeland, Florida, United States | Piper Aircraft Corporation | Fatal | 2 |
| 1 Apr 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Miami, Florida, United States | Finair | No injuries | - |
| 13 Jan 1982 | Piper PA-31-350 | Spokane, Washington, United States | Richard Engstrom | No injuries | - |
Other accidents in this area
| Date | Aircraft | Location | Operator | Outcome | Died |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 4 Jun 1982 | Cessna 150 | Red Oak, Virginia, United States | Jerry M. Daniel | Minor injuries | - |
| 26 Apr 1982 | Beechcraft 90 | Hot Springs, Virginia, United States | D. S. Ingalls | No injuries | - |
| 5 Feb 1982 | Piper PA-32R-300 | Lambsburg, Virginia, United States | Air Security Transport Corpora | Fatal | 4 |
| 3 Jan 1982 | Cessna 414A | Ashland, Virginia, United States | Ashland Properties | Fatal | 8 |
| 20 May 1982 | Bell 206B | Gate City, Virginia, United States | Imperial Intn'l | Serious injuries | - |
| 19 Nov 1982 | Piper PA-24-260 | Culpepper, Virginia, United States | James T. Furchess, JR. | Fatal | 1 |