Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Mattoon, Illinois, February 9, 1982
On February 9, 1982, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N8282Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mattoon, Illinois (Coles County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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 9, 1982
- Place
- Mattoon, Illinois · Coles County
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N8282Z · no longer on the register · serial 28R8118013
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT TOOKOFF WITH AN INOPERATIVE LANDING LIGHT. AFTER ARRIVING AT THE DESTINATION, IT WAS DARK AND SNOWING, AND THE VISIBILITY WAS ABOUT ONE MILE. AIRPORT PERSONNEL WERE REMOVING SNOW FROM THE LIGHTS ON RUNWAY 11/29. SNOW HAD BEEN CLEARED FROM THE LIGHTS ALONG THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF RUNWAY 29, THE CREW HAD PROGRESSED FROM THE THRESHOLD TO THE 11TH LIGHT. THEY REPORTED BEING IN RADIO CONTACT WITH N8282Z AND ANOTHER AIRCRAFT. THEY NOTIFIED THE AIRCRAFT OF THEIR POSITION WITH A SNOW PLOW OFF TO THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT MADE AN ILS APPROACH. HE REPORTED SEEING LIGHTS ONLY ON THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT HE WENT OVER THE SNOW PLOW AND USED THE LIGHTS ON THE SIDE AS A REFERENCE TO LAND. DURING THE FLARE THE TOUCHDOWN, THE AIRCRAFT HIT A SNOWBANK ABOUT 1000 FT BEYOND THE SNOW PLOW.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,357 hours in all; 261 in this make and model; 55 in the last 90 days; 3,166 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 211 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 95 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,750 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-C1C6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: H84 Flora IL at 5:15 pm
- Destination: Winona MN
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 29, 6,500 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 090° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:08 pm from MTO
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.