Piper PA-32RT accident near Mackinac, Michigan, July 17, 1982
On July 17, 1982 at about 3:15 pm local time, a Piper PA-32RT, registered N31844, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mackinac, Michigan (Mackinac 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 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 17, 1982 · about 3:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mackinac, Michigan · Mackinac · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT · all PA-32RTs on the register
- Registration
- N31844 · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7885132
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRCRAFT LANDED WHEELS UP. NO MALFUNCTION OF THE LANDING GEAR SYSTEM COULD BE FOUND.
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: 3,500 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 3,300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 620 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Drumman IL at 9:00 am
- Destination: SGJ St. Augustine FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 151°F (66°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.
Other NTSB records under N31844 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.