Piper PA-32R-300 accident near Rawlins, Wyoming, November 30, 1983
On November 30, 1983 at about 10:52 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-300, registered N5802V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rawlins, Wyoming (Rawlins Municipal airport). It was a public-use flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- November 30, 1983 · about 10:52 pm local time
- Place
- Rawlins, Wyoming · Rawlins Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-300 · all PA-32R-300s on the register
- Registration
- N5802V · no longer on the register · serial 32R-7780365
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT STATED THAT THE APPROACH INTO RAWLINS WAS NORMAL BUT WHILE ON SHORT FINAL HE REALIZED THAT THE ACFT WAS TOO LOW. THE ACFT WAS ACTUALLY LOWER THEN THE RUNWAY WHICH IS LOCATED ON A PLATEAU. HE ATTEMPTED TO CORRECT BUT LOST AIRSPEED AND LANDED SHORT. THE LT WING HIT A SNOWBANK, THE ACFT SWERVED AND THE LANDING GEAR COLLAPSED.
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: 345 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 2,937 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,130 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, October 18, 1983; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFF Scottsbluff NE at 2:24 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 11, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft
- Temperature: 3°F (-16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from RWL
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.
Other NTSB records under N5802V 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.