Piper PA-28R-200 accident near Lumber City, Georgia, December 30, 1982
On December 30, 1982 at about 11:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-200, registered N2805R, was destroyed in an accident near Lumber City, Georgia. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. 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
- December 30, 1982 · about 11:05 pm local time
- Place
- Lumber City, Georgia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-200 · all PA-28R-200s on the register
- Registration
- N2805R · registry record · serial 28R-35292
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING FLIGHT, THE OIL PRESSURE BEGAN DROPPING RAPIDLY JUST AFTER THE ENGINE RPM ABRUPTLY INCREASED. MINUTES LATER, THE RPM DECREASED AND THE ENGINE FAILED. WHILE THE PILOT WAS MAKING A FORCED LANDING IN DARKNESS, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN OBJECT JUST BEFORE TOUCHING DOWN. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT AN OIL LINE TO THE GOVENOR HAD FAILED. THE OIL LINE HAD RECENTLY BEEN REPLACED AND THE PLANE HAD FLOWN ONLY 5 HRS SINCE THE REPAIR. THE LINE HAD FAILED FROM FATIGUE AT THE FORWARD END WHICH WAS BEVELED FOR A FITTING. THE LINE WAS NORMALLY SUPPLIED BY AVCO LYCOMING AS PN 75A69, FABRICATED FROM AMS 5566 STAINLESS STEEL. THE FAILED LINE WAS MADE FROM A LOW CARBON STEELALLOY. THE LINE FAILED AFTER ONLY 5 HRS OF OPERATION.
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: 288 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 273 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,960 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 96 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Palatka Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Atlanta GA at 5:25 pm
- Destination: Palatka FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 050° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 122°F (50°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:58 pm from AMG, 26 miles away
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.