- Date
- November 18, 1984, 17:40 local (23:40 UTC)
- Place
- Freeport, FL
- Injuries
- 3 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4316PPiper PA-32R-301T
- Weather
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19841118066309A
- Case key
- 31213
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.
Analysis
Preflt wx brief included advisory for scattered showers/thunderstorms along route of flt. Departed in VFR conditions but encountered deteriorating wx enroute, received inflt wx advisory to expect low clngs and reduced visibility ahead. Plt stated he 'would keep an eye on the weather. 'About 50 mins later, plt requested radar vectors to assist in circumnavigating rain showers. Vecotr given but acft tgt observed not following vector. Plt next requedted a heading to 'get him out of weather.' Stating he was in rain and 'having a hard time.' Tgt disappeared from radar shortly thereafter. Investigation revealed acft impacted in heavily wooded area in near-vertical attitude at high rate of speed. Witnesses heard sounds of high engine power prior to impact; cited wx conds as driving rain, gusty winds and reduced visibility in rain and overcast-induced darkness.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4316P
- Reported as
- Piper PA-32R-301T (PA-32R-301)
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 32R-8329038
- Airframe hours
- 250
- Engine
- Lycoming TIO-540-S1AD, 300 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Bobby D. Thorsen
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · October 25, 1984 · 21 hours before
- Departed
- ORL · Orlando, FL
- Destination
- PNS · Pensacola, FL
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 48
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Expired
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 1,000 total
Weather
- Conditions
- Instrument (IMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility
- 7 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 2,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 70 °F, dew point 66 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg
- Observed at
- VPS, 20 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.