Piper PA-28-140 accident near Birmingham, Alabama, July 14, 1982
On July 14, 1982 at about 8:13 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N98316, was substantially damaged in an accident near Birmingham, Alabama (Birmingham Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- July 14, 1982 · about 8:13 pm local time
- Place
- Birmingham, Alabama · Birmingham Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured and 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N98316 · no longer on the register · serial 28-26166
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH RISING TERRAIN ABOUT 3/10 MILE NORTH OF RUNWAY 36. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRSPEED DECAYED AND THE AIRCRAFT MUSHED INTO THE GROUND. NO PREIMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THE TEMPERATURE AND DEW POINT WERE 81 AND 73 DEG, RESPECTIVELY. ACCORDING TO ICING PROBABILITY CHARTS, SERIOUS CARBURETOR ICING WOULD OCCUR AT GLIDE (IDLE) POWER. THE AIRCRAFT OPERATOR'S HANDBOOK STATED THAT CARBURETOR HEAT SHOULD BE CHECKED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF TO BE SURE THE CONTROL IS OPERATING PROPERLY AND TO CLEAR ANY ICE WHICH MAY HAVE FORMED DURING TAXIING. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE PREFLIGHT AND RUNUP INSPECTION WERE COMPLETED IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE PUBLISHED CHECKLIST.
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: 273 hours in all; 70 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 164 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,036 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vulcan Flying Services
The flight
- Departed from: Birmingham AL
- Destination: Birmingham AL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 4,855 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 178°F (81°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:48 pm from BHN, 25 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.