The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engine aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, using Lycoming engines. It was also licence-built by Embraer as the EMB 820.

In the mid-1960s company founder William T. Piper started development of the PA-31. Targeted at small-scale cargo and feeder liner operations and the corporate market, the aircraft was a success. It continues to prove a popular choice, but due to greatly decreased demand across the general aviation sector in the 1980s, production of the PA-31 ceased.

Variants

The PA-31 series was produced in the following versions.

• PA-31-310 Navajo, sometimes referred to as a "straight Navajo". Also called the "Mini - Liner"
• PA-31-325 Navajo, referred to as the "CR" or Counter Rotating.
• PA-31-350 Navajo Chieftain (originally called the "Navajo II") featured a stretched cabin and more powerful engines (Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD)
• T-1020 was a Chieftain modified to be marketed to the commuter airline market.
• PA-31P-425 Pressurized Navajo (commonly referred to as "P-Navajo") was equipped with a pressurized cabin and Lycoming TIGO-541-E1A engines.
• Piper Mojave was an upgraded, reengineered version of the PA-31P
• PA-31T Cheyenne, pressurized, turboprop
• T-1040, PA-31T3, was an airline version of the PA-31T Cheyenne.

Accidents

• On 8 October 1979, Comair Flight 444, operating a PA-31, crashed shortly after takeoff from Cincinnati-Northern Kentucky International Airport. All eight on board were killed.
• On 31 May 2000 a Navajo Chieftain flying from Adelaide to Whyalla in South Australia crashed into the Spencer Gulf following a dual engine failure. All eight on board were killed.
• On 9 July 2009, a Navajo operated by Canadian Air Charters and carrying units of blood for Canadian Blood Services flying from Victoria, British Columbia crashed in an industrial area in Richmond, British Columbia en route to Vancouver International Airport. [200158] [200159] [200160]

Specifications (PA-31-310 Navajo)

Specifications (PA-31-350 Chieftain)

See also

References

• The Piper PA-31 Chieftain/Mojave/T-1020/T-1040 from Airliners.net
• The Piper PA-31 Navajo/Pressurized Navajo from Airliners.net
• Piper Navajo Information Manual, Revision 9, March 18th 1994, Piper Aircraft Corporation, Manual Part Number 761-723
• Piper Navajo Pilot's Operating Manual, Revision 34, April 22nd 2002, Piper Aircraft Corporation, Manual Part Number 761-456
• Taylor, John W.R. Jane's All The World's Aircraft 1976-77. London:Jane's Yearbooks, 1976, ISBN 0 354 00538 3.