Piper PA-28-161 accident near Danvers, Illinois, March 13, 1983
On March 13, 1983 at about 6:35 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N82026, was destroyed in an accident near Danvers, Illinois. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- March 13, 1983 · about 6:35 am local time
- Place
- Danvers, Illinois · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N82026 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8216149
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT CRASHED AT NIGHT DURING IMC WEATHER CONDITIONS ON THE RETURN PORTION OF A CROSS-COUNTRY. THE PILOT HAD CHECKED THE WEATHER OUTBOUND, BUT THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A BRIEFING FOR THE RETURN FLIGHT. THE OUTBOUND FLT WAS IN EARLY DUSK. THE RETURN WAS BEGUN JUST BEFORE MIDNIGHT AND THE CRASH OCCURRED AT 0035 CST. THE WEATHER AT PEORIA, IL WAS 500 FOOT CEILING, 4 MILES VISIBILITY IN FOG AND HAZE. THE PILOT HAD 28 HOURS FLIGHT TIME IN THE TYPE AIRCRAFT BEING USED, 16 HOURS TOTAL NIGHT EXPERIENCE AND NO INSTRUMENT RATING. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED IN A RIGHT WING LOWATTITUDE.
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: 90 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 33 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 22, 1983; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DNV Danville IL at 5:30 pm
- Destination: 3MY Peoria IL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded at 500 ft
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 am from PIA, 22 miles away
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.