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Aviation safety reports, made easier to study

NTSB Reports is an independent research and search tool for public aviation accident and incident records. It brings NTSB aviation reports, structured fields, docket files, extracted figures, photos, videos, and update history into one searchable interface.

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October 9, 1983 · Piper PA-34-200 · N4437T

Gulf Of Mexico

Overview

Report Status
Preliminary report
Event Type
Accident
Date
October 9, 1983
Injury Outcomes
1 injury (1 fatality)
Location
Gulf Of Mexico
Aircraft
Piper PA-34-200
Tail Number
N4437T
Injuries
Fatal
Aircraft Damage
Destroyed
NTSB Number
FTW84LAMS1

THE ACFT DISAPPEARED ON A FLT OVER A PART OF THE GULF OF MEXICO SOUTH OF CORPUS CHRISTI IN AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE STORMS WERE DENSELY PACKED AND IT WAS CONSIDERED UNLIKELY THAT VFR FLT COULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE AREA. THEACCIDENT ACFT WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH A FORMER INSTRUCTOR AND BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO WAS FLYING TO CORPUS CHRISTI IN A C-172. THE C-172 LANDED AT CORPUS DUE TO THE T-STORMS AND HAD LOST CONTACT WITH N4437T BEFORE LANDING. A PART OF A WING IDENTIFIED AS HAVING COME FROM N4437T WAS PICKED UP BY A SHRIMP BOAT ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THE ACFT WAS MISSING. THE SEARCH BY THE CAP AND COAST GUARD FOUND NOTHING AND THE SEARCH WAS ENDED.

Full Narrative

THE ACFT DISAPPEARED ON A FLT OVER A PART OF THE GULF OF MEXICO SOUTH OF CORPUS CHRISTI IN AN AREA OF THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY. THE STORMS WERE DENSELY PACKED AND IT WAS CONSIDERED UNLIKELY THAT VFR FLT COULD BE CONDUCTED IN THE AREA. THEACCIDENT ACFT WAS IN RADIO CONTACT WITH A FORMER INSTRUCTOR AND BROTHER-IN-LAW WHO WAS FLYING TO CORPUS CHRISTI IN A C-172. THE C-172 LANDED AT CORPUS DUE TO THE T-STORMS AND HAD LOST CONTACT WITH N4437T BEFORE LANDING. A PART OF A WING IDENTIFIED AS HAVING COME FROM N4437T WAS PICKED UP BY A SHRIMP BOAT ABOUT 3 WEEKS AFTER THE ACFT WAS MISSING. THE SEARCH BY THE CAP AND COAST GUARD FOUND NOTHING AND THE SEARCH WAS ENDED.

Flight

Event TypeAccident
Event Time05:00 UTC
Nearest Airport0nm N
Runway0
Flight Plan FiledNone
Aircraft FireUnknown
Aircraft ExplosionUnknown

Aircraft

AircraftPiper PA-34-200
Tail NumberN4437T
Aircraft CategoryAir
DamageDestroyed
Operating RulePart 91
Engines2
Engine TypeReciprocating
Engine DetailsLycoming · IO-360 · Reciprocating · 200
Seats6

People & Injuries

Injury Summary1 injury (1 fatality)
Fatal1
Serious0
Minor0
Uninjured0
Total1
Crew 1Age 30 · Third Class

Conditions

ConditionsIMC
LightDaylight
Wind20° @ 17 kt
Visibility5 sm
CeilingBroken clouds 600 ft
Temperature / Dew Point70 F / 66 F
Altimeter30.00 inHg
Observation Time23:51
Weather SourceWFAC

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Appendix: Source Data