Piper PA-22-150 accident near Williamston, North Carolina, May 30, 1982
On May 30, 1982 at about 8:27 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N1615P, was destroyed in an accident near Williamston, North Carolina (Martin County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 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
- May 30, 1982 · about 8:27 pm local time
- Place
- Williamston, North Carolina · Martin County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N1615P · no longer on the register · serial 22-2429
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE CRUISING AT 11,000 FT THE ENGINE STARTED MISSING AND LOSING POWER. AFTER REPEATED ATTEMPTS TO RESTORE POWER THE PILOT LANDED IN A FIELD. DURING ROLL OUT THE NOSE WHEEL BECAME LODGED IN SOFT SAND AND THE AIRCRAFT TURNED OVER. ENGINE EXAMINATION REVEALED NO COMPRESSION IN THE NUMBER 1 CYLINDER DUE TO VALVE SEPARATION. THE VALVE STEM WAS "SEIZED" IN THE VALVE GUIDE.
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: 213 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 161 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,162 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 35 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,840 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MCZ Williamston NC at 4:27 pm
- Destination: Edenton NC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.