Piper PA-32-260 accident near Louisville, Kentucky, January 28, 1982
On January 28, 1982 at about 10:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-260, registered N3654W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Louisville, Kentucky. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 28, 1982 · about 10:43 pm local time
- Place
- Louisville, Kentucky · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-260 · all PA-32-260s on the register
- Registration
- N3654W · no longer on the register · serial 32-560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT 600FT AGL WHILE ON A 3 MILE STRAIGHT IN VISUAL APPROACH,THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PILOT STATED HE HAD INSUFFICIENT TIME TO ATTEMPT A RESTART AND COMMENCED A 180 DEGREE TURN TOWARD A GOLF COURSE. UPON LANDING THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A TREE. INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE CARBURETOR FUEL SUPPLY LINE,16 OUNCES IN THE LEFT MAIN TANK,AND APPROXIMATELY 15 GALLONS IN EACH REMAINING FUEL TANK. THE PILOT FURTHER STATED THAT HE DID NOT CHECK THE FUEL QUANTITY BEFORE FLIGHT.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 751 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 715 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,690 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 135 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-E4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Nashville TN at 4:53 pm
- Destination: Louisville KY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.