Piper PA-28-181 accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota, April 26, 1983
On April 26, 1983 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N82717, was substantially damaged in an accident near Minneapolis, Minnesota (Anoka 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
- April 26, 1983 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Minneapolis, Minnesota · Anoka
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- 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
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PLT ELECTED TO PRACTICE TOUCH-AND-GO LANDINGS. AFTER ABOUT 5 LANDINGS, THE ENG LOST POWER WHILE THE PLT WAS TURNING ON A BASE LEG FOR RWY 17 AT ABOUT 400 FT AGL. HE TRIED TO RESTART THE ENG. HOWEVER, THE LEFT WING HIT THE TOPS OF TREES & THE PLANE CRASHED DURING AN EMERGENCY LANDING. REPORTEDLY, THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS POSITIONED TO THE RIGHT TANK WHEN THE ENG LOST POWER. NO MEASURABLE AMOUNT OF FUEL WAS FOUND IN THE RIGHT TANK; HOWEVER, FUEL WAS AVAILABLE IN THE LEFT TANK.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 1,846 hours in all; 243 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1,656 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 430 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 14, 1983; 63 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-181 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 4,800 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.
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.