Piper PA-28-140 accident near Hytop, Alabama, February 19, 1982
On February 19, 1982 at about 5:40 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N5552F, was destroyed in an accident near Hytop, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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 October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 19, 1982 · about 5:40 am local time
- Place
- Hytop, Alabama
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N5552F · no longer on the register · serial 28-24891
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT FILED AND DEPARTED VFR INTO FORECAST MARGINAL FLIGHT CONDITIONS. WHILE EN ROUTE THE DESTINATION WENT IFR AND THIS INFORMATION WAS PASSED ON TO THE PILOT. THE PILOT REPLIED THAT HE WAS GOING TO CONTINUE ON AND GET AS CLOSE TO CHATTANOOGA AS POSSIBLE. THE LAST RADAR CONTACT WITH THE AIRCRAFT WAS AT 2335 WHEN THE AIRCRAFT WAS OBSERVED TRACKING WESTBOUND AND THEN REVERSING COURSE TO THE EAST.
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: student
- Flight time: 56 hours in all; 32 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 15 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,889 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Tupelo MS at 10:17 pm
- Destination: Chattanooga TN
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 900 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 120°F (49°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 am from CHA, 44 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.