Piper PA-31T Cheyenne

PA-31T Cheyenne
PA-31T Cheyenne
	PA-31T1 Cheyenne in landing configuration
General information
Type	Turboprop
Manufacturer	Piper Aircraft
Number built	823
History
Manufactured	1974–1985[citation needed]
First flight	29 August 1969
Developed from	Piper PA-31 Navajo
Developed into	Piper PA-42 Cheyenne

The Piper PA-31T Cheyenne is a twin-engine turboprop development of the earlier PA-31P Pressurized Navajo.

Development

Originally, the aircraft was an upgraded version of the Pressurized Navajo equipped with two Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-28 turboprop engines. Later, the aircraft was further refined and developed, including aerodynamic improvements and fuselage extensions. The PA-31T led to the development of the PA-42 Cheyenne III and IV.

Operators

Government operators

Indonesia

Indonesian National Police

Military operators

Mauritania

Mauritanian Air Force

United States

United States Department of Defense

Variants

PA-31T Cheyenne: Initial production version, powered by two 620-shp (462-kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-28 turboprop engines

PA-31T-1: Original designation of the PT-31T Cheyenne I. Powered by 500-shp (373-kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-II turboprop engines
PA-31T Cheyenne II: Improved version, renamed version of original powered by two 620-shp (462-kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-28 turboprop engines
PA-31T2 Cheyenne IIXL: Stretched version, powered by two 750-shp (559-kW) Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-135 turboprop engines

Accidents and incidents

On April 12, 2015, four people were killed when their Piper PA-31T Cheyenne reported a distress call for smoke in the aircraft upon approaching Fort Lauderdale for landing after taking off from Orlando. The aircraft crashed into a wildlife preserve just short of the airport, causing a large fire killing all on board.
On April 17, 2017, a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne crashed in a parking lot of a Lidl supermarket in Tires, Portugal. The pilot and one person on the ground were killed in the crash.
On December 28, 2019, a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne crashed shortly after takeoff, approximately one nautical mile from LFT. The pilot was able to avoid an apartment complex but the aircraft struck a vehicle and a USPS branch on its way down. Four passengers and the pilot were killed on impact. One passenger and one person on the ground were seriously injured, while two additional people on the ground suffered minor injuries. The NTSB released a preliminary report and is investigating the accident.
On April 20, 2020, a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne N926K crashed just west of Billings Logan International Airport in a local gun and archery establishment. The sole occupant, the pilot, received fatal injuries due to smoke inhalation. A probable cause by some locals favored a possible engine failure upon initial climbout.
On October 22, 2025, a Piper PA-31T Cheyenne crashed shortly after takeoff from Paramillo Airport, Táchira, Venezuela. The two occupants died in the explosion.

Specifications

Data from Jane's All the World's Aircraft 1976–77

General characteristics

Crew: 2
Capacity: 4–6 passengers
Length: 34 ft 8 in (10.57 m)
Wingspan: 42 ft 8+1⁄4 in (13.011 m) (over tip tanks)
Height: 12 ft 9 in (3.89 m)
Wing area: 229 sq ft (21.3 m²)
Airfoil: NACA 63₂-415 at root, 63A212 at tip
Empty weight: 4,870 lb (2,209 kg)
Max takeoff weight: 9,000 lb (4,082 kg)
Fuel capacity: 382 US gal (318 imp gal; 1,450 L) usable fuel
Powerplant: 2 × Pratt & Whitney Canada PT6A-28 turboprops, 620 shp (460 kW) each
Propellers: 3-bladed Hartzell HC-BTN-3B constant-speed propellers, 7 ft 9 in (2.36 m) diameter

Performance

Maximum speed: 326 mph (525 km/h, 283 kn) at 11,000 ft (3,400 m)
Cruise speed: 244 mph (393 km/h, 212 kn) at 25,000 ft (7,600 m) (econ. cruise)
Stall speed: 88 mph (142 km/h, 76 kn) (flaps down)
Range: 1,702 mi (2,739 km, 1,479 nmi) (econ. cruise, 45 min reserves)
Service ceiling: 29,000 ft (8,800 m)
Rate of climb: 2,800 ft/min (14 m/s)
Takeoff run to 50 ft (15 m): 1,980 ft (600 m)
Landing run from 50 ft (15 m): 1,860 ft (570 m)

References

↑ Willis, David, ed. (1999). Aerospace Encyclopedia of World Air Forces. London, UK: Aerospace Publishing Ltd. p. 294. ISBN 1-86184-045-4.
↑ "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 72". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.
↑ Tom, Kaminsky (2000). The United States military aviation directory. Airtime Publishing Inc. ISBN 978-1-880588-29-1.
↑ "Pilot reported smoke in cockpit before crash that killed 4". 14 April 2015.
↑ Bratley, Carrie-Marie. "Preliminary report into Tires plane crash ready in one month". The Portugal News Online. Retrieved 4 May 2017.
↑ White, Ashley. "Small plane crash in south Lafayette kills five, injures several others". The Daily Advertiser.
↑ "NTSB Preliminary Accident Report".
↑ "Pilot killed in Billings plane crash". Q2 News (KTVQ). 20 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
↑ "Accident Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I N926K". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 23 April 2024.
↑ "Crash of a Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I in San Cristóbal: 2 killed | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives" https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-piper-pa-31t1-cheyenne-i-san-cristobal-2-killed
↑ Taylor, John W.R. (1976), Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77, London: Jane's Yearbooks, pp. 358–359, ISBN 0-354-00538-3

External links

The Piper PA-31T Cheyenne history from Airliners.net

[1] Willis, David, ed. (1999). Aerospace Encyclopedia of World Air Forces. London, UK: Aerospace Publishing Ltd. p. 294. ISBN 1-86184-045-4.

[2] "World Air Forces 1987 pg. 72". flightglobal.com. Retrieved 3 April 2019.

[3] Tom, Kaminsky (2000). The United States military aviation directory. Airtime Publishing Inc. ISBN 978-1-880588-29-1.

[4] "Pilot reported smoke in cockpit before crash that killed 4". 14 April 2015.

[2017_Piper_Cheyenne_II_Tires_crash-5] Bratley, Carrie-Marie. "Preliminary report into Tires plane crash ready in one month". The Portugal News Online. Retrieved 4 May 2017.

[6] White, Ashley. "Small plane crash in south Lafayette kills five, injures several others". The Daily Advertiser.

[7] "NTSB Preliminary Accident Report".

[8] "Pilot killed in Billings plane crash". Q2 News (KTVQ). 20 April 2020. Retrieved 23 April 2024.

[9] "Accident Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I N926K". aviation-safety.net. Retrieved 23 April 2024.

[10] "Crash of a Piper PA-31T1 Cheyenne I in San Cristóbal: 2 killed | Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archives" https://www.baaa-acro.com/crash/crash-piper-pa-31t1-cheyenne-i-san-cristobal-2-killed

[Janes_76p358-9-11] Taylor, John W.R. (1976), Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976–77, London: Jane's Yearbooks, pp. 358–359, ISBN 0-354-00538-3