Amateur-built AA-5B accident near Albin, Wyoming, October 8, 1982
On October 8, 1982 at about 11:30 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-5B, registered N81262, was destroyed in an accident near Albin, Wyoming. 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
- October 8, 1982 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Albin, Wyoming
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-5B
- Registration
- N81262 · no longer on the register · serial AA5B-0479
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS ON PERSONAL CROSS-COUNTRY. THERE WAS NO RECORD OF A PRE-FLIGHT OR IN-FLIGHT WEATHER BRIEFING. THE WEATHER AT THE ACCIDENT SITE WAS NEAR BLIZZARD CONDITION. THE AIRCRAFT WAS HEARD CIRCLING, BUT IT WAS NOT SEEN DUE TO SNOW. THE WINDS APPROACHED 50 TO 75 KTS. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED GROUND LEFT WING FIRST IN A SLIGHT BANK AND IN A SHALLOW DESCENT. IT IMPACTED IN AN OPEN FIELD AND DEMOLISHED.
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: 398 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 329 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,133 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Brighton CO at 2:55 pm
- Destination: Bismark ND
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 15 knots
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
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.