Piper PA-28-161 accident near Duluth, Minnesota, November 28, 1985
On November 28, 1985 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8082B, was destroyed in an accident near Duluth, Minnesota. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- November 28, 1985 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Duluth, Minnesota · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8082B · registry record · serial 28-8016058
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT DEPARTED CRYSTAL LAKE FOR A FLIGHT TO VISIT RELATIVES FOR THANKSGIVING. HE DID NOT OBTAIN A PREFLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING NOR DID HE CONTACT ANY GROUND FACILITY DURING THE FLIGHT. HE WAS QUALIFIED TO FLY IN VFR CONDITIONS ONLY. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE SURFACE OF A FROZEN LAKE EIGHT MILES FROM DULUTH IAP AND WAS DESTROYED. AN EXAM- INATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED NOTHING THAT WOULD CAUSE AN INFLIGHT PROBLEM. WEATHER AT DULUTH IAP AT THE APPROX TIME OF THE CRASH WAS: EST 1000 FT OVERCAST, VISIBILITY 1 1/2 MILES WITH LIGHT SNOW AND FOG. WEATHER AT DULUTH 40 MIN BEFORE THIS OBSERVATION WAS: 200 FT CEILING, SKY OBSCURED. VISIBILITY 3/4 MILE WITH LIGHT SNOW AND FOG.
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: 110 hours in all; 104 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 73 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,960 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 16, 1985; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Thunderbird Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: MIC Crystal MN at 6:37 pm
- Destination: DLH Duluth MN
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 18 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 1°F (-17°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 7:50 pm from DLH, 8 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.