Piper PA-31-350 accident near Midland, Texas, May 2, 1982
On May 2, 1982 at about 4:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N70TT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Midland, Texas (Midland Airpark airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 2, 1982 · about 4:40 pm local time · cases in 1982
- Place
- Midland, Texas · Midland Airpark · cases near this airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N70TT · registry record · serial 31-8152149
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A BUSINESS FLIGHT THE AIRCRAFT'S ENGINES QUIT. THE PILOT ATTEMPTED A GEAR-UP EMERGENCY LANDING IN A RESIDENTIAL AREA. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ONE PICKUP AND TWO CARS DURING THE LANDING. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN MISTAKENLY FUELED WITH JET "A" FUEL.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,592 hours in all; 120 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days; 6,460 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 175 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 175 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,540 lb
- Seats: 8
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Milton Tankersley JR. INC.
The flight
- Departed from: MDD Midland TX at 11:39 am
- Destination: Ft. Worth TX
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:48 am from MAF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N70TT on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-31 Navajo and Chieftain 934 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,839 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD 24 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Midland Airpark · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Texas 6,244 since 1982 · 1,061 in the last ten years
- Texas 29,986 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/FTW82DA158.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.