Piper PA-28-181 accident near Heflin, Alabama, December 10, 1982
On December 10, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N22199, was substantially damaged in an accident near Heflin, Alabama. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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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 September 29, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 10, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Heflin, Alabama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N22199 · registry record · serial 7990070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A PLEASURE FLIGHT THE PILOT EXPERIENCED A FLUCTUATION IN HIS ALTERNATOR INDICATOR. SOON AFTERWARDS THE ALTERNATOR PANEL WARNING LIGHT CAME ON. THE PILOT ASSUMED HIS BATTERY HAD GONE DEAD AFTER HIS RADIO LIGHTS ALSO CEASED TO OPERATE. AT THAT POINT THE WEATHER WAS DETERIORATING, AND THE PILOT CHOSE TO MAKE AN EMERGENCY LANDING. AS THE AIRCRAFT LANDED THE LEFT WING TIP HIT A BANK TEARING THE WING LOOSE. THE AIRCRAFT SUFFERED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE.
The NTSB's narratives can run to many pages; this is the opening. Read the full report at the NTSB.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database and is rewritten in plain English only where the NTSB used codes; the probable cause and narrative are the NTSB's own words. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number ATL83LA058.