Piper PA-28-161 accident near Mcallen, Texas, October 28, 1982
On October 28, 1982 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N47916, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mcallen, Texas (Miller Field). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- October 28, 1982 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Mcallen, Texas · Miller Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N47916 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816157
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON APPROACH THE PILOT ENCOUNTERED WIND SHEAR AND DOWNDRAFTS AND SUBSEQUENTLY STRUCK THE NUMBER 2 APPROACH LIGHT STANCHION. THE GEAR ASSEMBLY SHEARED OFF AND THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY AND VEERED TO THE RIGHT.
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: 21,000 hours in all; 9,000 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,353 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Pan American Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: MFE Mcallen TX
- Destination: MFE Mcallen TX
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 7,103 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 180°F (82°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
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.