Piper PA-18A-150 accident near Sanderson, Texas, February 8, 1982
On February 8, 1982 at about 10:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A-150, registered N2887Z, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sanderson, Texas (Private Strip airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 8, 1982 · about 10:50 pm local time
- Place
- Sanderson, Texas · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-150 · all PA-18A-150s on the register
- Registration
- N2887Z · registry record · serial 187060
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS THE OWNER AND OPERATOR OF THE AIRCRAFT. A SEARCH OF THE FAA AIRMAN AND MEDICAL RECORDS REVEALED NO INDICATION OF A PREVIOUS RATING. DURING TAKEOFF, THE PLANE WAS OBSERVED TO CLIMB TO ABOUT 200 TO 300 FT AGL, THEN NOSE DOWN AND CRASH. THERE WAS NO SIGNIFICANT MOVEMENT AFTER IMPACT. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF A PREEXISTING MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE OF THE AIRFRAME OR ENGINE. THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT REPORTED GUSTY WINDS FROM THE NORTHWEST.
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
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,001 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Sanderson TX at 4:45 pm
- Destination: Sanderson TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 27, 1,585 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 23 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW82FQD09.