Piper PA-31T2 accident near Springfield, Kentucky, February 17, 1982
On February 17, 1982 at about 1:19 am local time, a Piper PA-31T2, registered N2517X, was destroyed in an accident near Springfield, Kentucky (Lebanon-Springfield). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 8 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 1982 · about 1:19 am local time · cases in 1982
- Place
- Springfield, Kentucky · Lebanon-Springfield · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 8 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31T2 · all PA-31T2s on the register
- Registration
- N2517X · registry record · serial 21T-8166004
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE FLT WAS CLEARED TO MAINTAIN 3,000 FT MSL UNTIL OVER THE ARPT, THEN CRUISE. THE PLT HAD PREVIOUSLY STATED THAT HE COULD SEE THE LIGHTS ON THE GROUND & THAT HE WAS 15 MI FROM THE ARPT. AT 2013 THE PLT STATED "WE OUGHTA BE ABLE TO CANCEL HERE." THE ACFT WOULD HAVE BEEN ABOUT 6 MI FROM THE ARPT. THE ARPT OPERATOR HEARD AN ACFT LOW OVERHEAD & WAS ABLETO SEE STARS. OTHER GROUND WITNESSES CLOSER TO THE POINT OF IMPACT OBSERVED VERY THICK PATCHY FOG WITH VISIBILITY ABOUT 200 FT. ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT NAVIGATION LIGHTS DO SOME UNUSUAL MANEUVERING, WHILE ANOTHER WITNESS SAW THE LIGHTS VERY LOW. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND IN A LEFT WING LOW, NEAR LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE. THE WRECKAGE WAS CO-LOCATED WITH AN APPROXIMATE DOWNWIND TO BASE LEG TURN. THERE IS A SINGLE VOR/DME APCH TO RWY 11. THE MDA IS 1,260 FT & REQUIRES A MINIMUM VISIBILITY OF 1 MI. THE CIRCLING APCH HAS AN MDA OF 1,420 FT & ALSO REQUIRES A MINIMUM VISIBILITY OF 1 MI. THE PLT HAD RECEIVED AN ALTIMETER SETTING OF 29.77. THE ACFT'S ALTIMETER WAS SET BETWEEN 30.29 & 30.30.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 2,500 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 140 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 9,474 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W PT6A-135 (turboprop); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Gnc Energy CORP.
The flight
- Departed from: Mobile AL
- Destination: Springfield KY
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 11, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Sky: broken clouds at 200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 7 |
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N2517X on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,839 aircraft on the register
- Engine: P&W PT6A-135 2,217 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Lebanon Springfield/George Hoerter Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Kentucky 702 since 1982 · 111 in the last ten years
- Kentucky 2,980 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/ATL82FA055.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.