Piper PA-28-140 accident near Bowling Green, Ohio, May 1, 1982
On May 1, 1982 at about 2:43 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N40999, was destroyed in an accident near Bowling Green, Ohio (Wood County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. 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
- May 1, 1982 · about 2:43 pm local time
- Place
- Bowling Green, Ohio · Wood County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N40999 · registry record · serial 287425200
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STARTED HIS TAKEOFF WITH THE AIRCRAFT ABOUT 198 LBS OVER ITS MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT LIMIT. THE PLANE WAS OBSERVED TO LIFT OFF NEAR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY, THEN CONTINUE IN A NOSE HIGH ATTITUDE. SOME WITNESSES OBSERVED THE WINGS ROCKING OR WOBBLING AND/OR THE FUSELAGE FISHTAILING. REPORTEDLY, IT GAINED SOME ALTITUDE, THEN SETTLED INTO AN APARTMENT BUILDING. DURING IMPACT, AN EXPLOSION OCCURRED AND THE AIRCRAFT AND BUILDING WERE ENGULFED IN FLAMES. ALL BUT 1 WITNESS REPORTED THAT THE ENGINE SOUNDED NORMAL.
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: 80 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,398 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1G0 Bowling Green OH
- Destination: Columbus OH
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 2,784 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 154°F (68°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.