Piper PA-28-181 accident near Mankato, Minnesota, September 25, 1982
On September 25, 1982 at about 2:09 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N82717, was destroyed in an accident near Mankato, Minnesota (Mankato airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- September 25, 1982 · about 2:09 am local time
- Place
- Mankato, Minnesota · Mankato · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed, 1 person was seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N82717 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8190286
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT ABOUT 1530 CDT, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED MATTOON, IL ON A FLIGHT TO MANKATO, MN. HOWEVER, THE PILOT LANDED AT ALBERT LEA, MN WHERE HE REFUELED AND TOPPED THE TANKS WITH 45.5 GAL OF FUEL. THE AIRCRAFT'S USABLE SUPPLY WAS 48 GAL. WHILE REFUELING, HE REPORTEDLY TOLD THE AIRPORT MANAGER THAT HE THOUGHT HE WAS AT MANKATO WHEN HE WAS LANDING AT ALBERT LEA. ALBERT LEA WAS ABOUT 42 MI FROM MANKATO. THE AIRPORT MANAGER STATED THAT THE PILOT LOOKED TIRED AND THAT HE (THE MANAGER) TRIED TO PRESUADE THE PILOT TO CONTINUE THE TRIP BY AUTOMOBILE. THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED ALBERT LEA AT ABOUT 2050 CDT. A SHORT TIME LATER, THE PILOT CONTACTED MANKATO UNICOM AND WAS PROVIDED LANDING INFORMATION. DURING A NIGHT LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK A POWER LINE ABOUT 65 FT AGL AND 4327 FT FROM THE RUNWAY, THEN NOSED OVER AND IMPACTED IN AN INVERTED ATTITUDE. THE TWO FRONT SEAT OCCUPANTS WERE FATALLY INJURED. TWO YOUNG CHILDREN IN THE BACK SEATS, BOTH IN CHILD RESTRAINT SEATS, SURVIVED, ONE WITH MINOR INJURIES. RWY VASI LGTS ON.
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; 8 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 47 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 379 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 75 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Twin City Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: Albert Lea MN at 8:50 pm
- Destination: Mankato MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 5,400 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 010° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,700 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 127°F (53°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:56 pm from RWF, 56 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 1 | 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.
Other NTSB records under N82717 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.