Piper PA-31P — registry & accident history
Compiled from FAA & NTSB records · as of Jul 25, 2026
There are 229 Piper PA-31P airframes on record (built 1968–1977), 40 currently registered. 12 have one or more NTSB accident records (12 records total, 7 with a fatal highest-injury classification). Data as of Jul 25, 2026.
Recent Piper PA-31P accidents
The pilot’s decision to operate an airplane with known fuel leaks, his failure to conduct an engine run-up before takeoff, his subsequent failure to abort the takeoff, and the mechanic’s inadequate maintenance, which resulted in a partial loss of right engine power during takeoff due to fuel starvation as a result of blocked fuel injector ports.
The mechanic’s inadvertent installation of the elevator trim tabs in reverse, which resulted in the pitch trim system operating opposite of the pilot’s input and the pilot’s subsequent loss of control.
A total loss of left engine power for undetermined reasons.
An engine malfunction for undetermined reasons and the subsequent loss of control, due to the pilot's improper decision to maneuver the airplane below minimum controllable airspeed and his improper response to the loss of engine power.
The pilot’s failure to extend the landing gear due to his distraction with the flaps, his misinterpretation of the landing gear warning horn, and his failure to verify that the landing gear were down, which resulted in a landing with the gear retracted.
The total loss of engine power due to fuel exhaustion for reasons that could not be determined because postaccident examination of the airframe and engine did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation.
The pilot’s failure to maintain the proper pitch attitude during the landing, which resulted in the nose landing gear contacting the surface hard and then separating from the airplane.