- Date
- December 4, 1983, 14:46 local (19:46 UTC)
- Place
- Lakeland, FL
- Injuries
- 2 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N4115KPiper PA-31-350
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19831204060929A
- Case key
- 30954
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Loss of control - in flight
Flt control syst,aileron control - improperCause
Acft/equip,inadequate compliance determinationCause
Aircraft preflight - inadequateCause
In flight collision with terrain/water
Analysis
The acft was on its first production flt test. Shortly after lift-off it was observed to enter an abrupt right bank, followed by a steep left bank before crashing. Examination of the left wing revealed that its aileron cables were connected to their respective bellcrank attach points backwards.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4115K
- Reported as
- Piper PA-31-350
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 31-8452006
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540, 350 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Part 91
- Registered owner
- Piper Aircraft Corp.
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Unknown · December 4, 1984 · 0 hours before
- Airport
- LAL · Lakeland Municipal, runway 27, 6,000 × 150 ft, asphalt
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 29
- Certificate
- Commercial
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Seat
- Right
- Toxicology
- Performed
- Flight hours
- 3,550 total · 600 in this make and model · 3,275 as pilot in command · 60 in the last 90 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 230° at 10 knots
- Visibility
- 12 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 3,500 ft broken
- Temperature
- 82 °F, dew point 72 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- LAL
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.