Piper PA-28R-201T accident near Watonga, Oklahoma, January 14, 1982
On January 14, 1982 at about 5:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28R-201T, registered N47442, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watonga, Oklahoma. It was a personal 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
- January 14, 1982 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Watonga, Oklahoma · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201T PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N47442 · registry record · serial 28R 7703377
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE LOST OIL PRESSURE AND SHORTLY THEREAFTER QUIT. DURING THE FORCED LANDING THE PILOT VEERED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE HIGHWAY HE HAD ELECTED TO LAND ON DUE TO ONCOMING TRAFFIC. THE AIRCRAFT SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGES DUE TO THE ROLLING TERRAIN. AN ENGINE TEARDOWN INSPECTION REVEALED NUMBEROUS METAL PARTICLES IN THE OIL PAN AND THAT THE ENGINE HAD FAILED DUE TO OIL STARVATION.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,223 hours in all; 105 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 884 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,600 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360T (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Oklahoma City OK at 10:15 pm
- Destination: Denver CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 330° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 18°F (-8°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 3 |
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.