Piper 28-140 accident near Harrah, Oklahoma, July 22, 1982
On July 22, 1982 at about 1:13 pm local time, a Piper 28-140, registered N655FL, was destroyed in an accident near Harrah, Oklahoma (Private Strip airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- July 22, 1982 · about 1:13 pm local time
- Place
- Harrah, Oklahoma · Private Strip
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper 28-140
- Registration
- N655FL · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125570
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT ELECTED TO CROSS UNDER A POWER LINE NEAR THE END OF THE RUNWAY WHEN HE REALIZED HE COULD NOT FLY OVER. AS THE PLANE CROSSED UNDER THE POWER LINE, THE RIGHT MAIN GEAR STRUCK A STEEL PERIMETER FENCE POST. ACROSS THE STREET FORM THE POWER LINE AND PERIMETER FENCE WAS A HOUSE. THE PILOT PULLED THE PLANE UP, BUT THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE ROOF OF THE HOUSE AND THE RIGHT WING HIT A TREE. THE PLANE THEN IMPACTED IN THE BACK YARD AND HIT A FENCE BEFORE COMING TO REST. THE REPORTED WINDS IN THE AREA WERE: 180 DEG AT 4 KT AT WILL ROGERS WORLD AIRPORT AND 190 DEG AT 10 KTS AT THE WILEY POST AIRPORT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS ABOUT 2500 FT. THE OWNER'S HANDBOOK RECOMMENDED THAT 25 DEG OF FLAPS (2ND NOTCH) BE USED FOR SHORT FIELD TAKEOFFS. THE FLAPS WERE FOUND IN THE FIRST NOTCH. AN INVESTIGATION OF THE AIRCRAFT PERFORMANCE DATA REVEALED THE RUNWAY LENGTH WAS NOT ADEQUATE FOR THE PLANETO CLEAR A 50 FT OBSTACLE UNDER THESE CONDITIONS.
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: 1,200 hours in all; 555 in this make and model; 35 in the last 90 days; 1,172 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,633 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 38 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Harrah OK at 8:10 am
- Destination: Harrah OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 171°F (77°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.