Marathon Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Marathon, Florida 33050
Tuesady, August 30, 1983 11:37 EDT

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

THE ACFT LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED DURING A FORCED LANDING DUE TO A CABIN FIRE. THE LANDING OCCURRED JUST SHORT OF THE RWY AT MARATHON ARPT, FL. THE PLT HAD DEPARTED THIS ARPT ABOUT 30 MINUTES EARLIER ON THE 2ND LEG OF A STUDENT X-COUNTRY FLT.THE DEPARTURE WAS AT ABOUT 1105 EDT. AT 1130 WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT APPROACHING THE ARPT WITH FLAMES AND SMOKE VISIBLE INSIDE AND OUTSIDE OF THE ACFT. AFTER THE ACCIDENT THE PLT SAID THAT ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF HE SMELLED SOMETHING AND TURNED AROUND TO SEE THE CABIN ON FIRE. A REVIEW OF THE ACFT LOG SHOWS THAT THE ALTERNATOR WAS REPLACED ON8/2/83. A POST ACCIDENT TEST OF THE ALTERNATOR SHOWED ITS PERFORMANCE WITHIN LIMITS. FUEL LINES IN THE CABIN AND THE FUEL SELECTOR ALONG WITH THE REMAINING D.C. ELECTRICAL HARNESSES WERE SENT TO THE NTSB LAB FOR EXAMINATION. THE LAB FOUND EVIDENCE THAT AN ALUMINUM CABLE WAS INTERNALLY HEATED MOST LIKELY FROM EXCESSIVE ELECTRICAL CURRENT. DUE TO THE FIRE OTHER COCKPIT EVIDENCE WAS DESTROYED. BASED UPON STATEMENTS THE FIRE ORIGINATED IN THE REAR OF THE ACFT.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

Not Yet Reported

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 8/30/1983
Event Day of the Week Tuesday
Time of Event 1137
Event Time Zone Eastern Daylight Time
Event City MARATHON
Event State FLORIDA
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 33050
Event Date Year 1983
Event Date Month 8
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude
Event Location Longitude
Event Location Airport MARATHON
Event Location Nearest Airport ID MTH
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 6
Weather Briefing Completeness Not pertinent
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1550 Eastern Daylight Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 220
Weather Observation Facility ID EYW
Elevation of weather observation facility 8
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 31
Time Zone of the weather observation EDT
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height 0
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 1500
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Scattered
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling Broken
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) 0
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) 0
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 31
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) 22
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 210
Variable Wind Indicator Unknown
Wind Speed (knots) 7
Wind Velocity Indicator Unknown
Wind Gust Indicator Not Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation Unknown
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury Fatal
On Ground, Fatal Injuries 0
On Ground, Minor Injuries 0
On Ground, Serious Injuries 0
Injury Total Fatal 1
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None --
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All 1
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 2805
NTSB Notification Source --
NTSB Notification Date --
NTSB Notification Time 0
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information 23100
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 9:15AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office --

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N30533
NTSB Number MIA83FA216
Missing Aircraft Indicator N
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed VFR
Flight plan Was Activated? --
Damage Destroyed
Aircraft Fire In-flight
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name PIPER
Aircraft Model PA-28-161
Aircraft Series Identifier PA-28-161
Aircraft Serial Number 28-7916087
Certified Max Gross Weight 2325
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection 100 Hour
Date of Last Inspection Jul 30 1983 12:00AM
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site Unknown
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name WALTER REVIERE JR.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 1141 S.W. 75TH AVE
Aircraft Owner City PLANTATION
Aircraft Owner State FL
Aircraft Owner Country
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 33317
Operator is an individual? --
Operator Name KITTY HAWK FLIGHT SCHOOL
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 3405 S.W. 9TH AVE
Operator City FT. LAUDERDALE
Operator State FL
Operator Country
Operator Zip code 33315
Operator Code
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? No
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation Unknown
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code
Departure City
Departure State
Departure Country
Departure Time 1115
Departure Time Zone EDT
Destination Same as Local Flt --
Destination Airport Code FLL
Destination City FL. LAUDERDALE
Destination State FL
Destination Country
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? --
Evacuation occurred --
Date of most recent change to record Jan 2 2001 10:36AM
User who most recently changed record dbo
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 25
Runway Length 5000
Runway Width 150
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --