Piper PA-28-180 accident near Taylorville, North Carolina, March 6, 1982
On March 6, 1982 at about 10:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9783J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Taylorville, North Carolina. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured. 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
- March 6, 1982 · about 10:25 pm local time
- Place
- Taylorville, North Carolina · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9783J · no longer on the register · serial 28-3984
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED AKRON, NY AT 1154 EST ON A FLIGHT TO CHARLOTTE,NC. TOWARD LATE AFTERNOON, AS THE SUN BEGAN TO SET, ONE OF THE PASSENGERS (THE PILOT'S DAUGHTER), INFORMED THE PILOT THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS GETTING LOW ON FUEL. HE DIVERTED TOWARD AN AIRPORT, BUT BEFORE ARRIVING, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AND THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AN EXAMINATION OF THE FUEL SYSTEM REVEALED NO INDICATION OF A FUEL LEAK. THE ENGINE WAS EXAMINED AND NO PREEXISTING MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTED. REPORTELY, THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN SERVICE WITH A FULL LOAD OF FUEL (50 GAL CAPACITY) BEFORE TAKEOFF. IT HAD BEEN OPERATED FOR 5 HRS AND 24 MIN BEFORE CRASHING. THE PERFORMANCE CHARTS SHOWED THAT IT WOULD CRUISE ABOUT 5 HRS AT 75% POWER OR ABOUT 6.8 HRS AT 55% POWER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 412 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 298 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,258 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 22 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Akron NY at 11:54 am
- Destination: C Charlotte NC
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Visibility: 7 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.