Piper PA-28-161 accident near Brainerd, Minnesota, August 5, 1982
On August 5, 1982 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N43745, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brainerd, Minnesota (East Gull airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 5, 1982 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brainerd, Minnesota · East Gull
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N43745 · registry record · serial 78-16020
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON THE LANDING ROLL, THE ENGINE QUIT OPERATING AND THE PILOT TURNED OFF ONTO A TAXIWAY. HE THEN ATTEMPTED TO RESTART THE HOT ENGINE. DURING THIS TIME, SMOKE BEGAN COMING FROM UNDER THE ENGINE COWLING. THE PILOT EXITED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AND NOTED A SMALL FIRE (FLAMES) IN THE LOWER PART OF THE ENGINE. NO FIRE EXTINGUISHER WAS READILY AVAILABLE, SO THE FIRE JUST BURNED ITSELF OUT, BUT SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE OCCURRED. AND INVESTIGATION REVEALED FIRE DAMAGE ON THE RIGHT SIDE NEAR THE EXHAUST MANIFOLD, BUT NO LEAKS OR BROKEN FUEL LINES WERE FOUND. THE POSSIBILITY OF FLOODING THE CARBURETOR WAS CONSIDERED, BUT THIS WAS NOT VERIFIED. HOWEVER, THE CARBURETOR FLOAT LEVEL WAS FOUND TO BE 1/64 OF AN INCH LOW.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,400 hours in all; 900 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1,200 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,939 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Thunderbird Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Minneapolis MN at 2:30 pm
- Destination: Brainard MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 9, 2,600 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 185°F (85°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.