Piper PA-34-200T accident near Near Las Vegas, Nevada, January 5, 1982
On January 5, 1982 at about 5:20 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200T, registered N1956H, was destroyed in an accident near Near Las Vegas, Nevada. It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). 2 people were killed. 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 5, 1982 · about 5:20 am local time
- Place
- Near Las Vegas, Nevada · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200T · all PA-34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N1956H · registry record · serial 34-770160
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT, A PIPER PA-34, WAS ON A VFR FLIGHT TO TRANSPORT BANK CHECKS ON A PART 135 OPERATION. ANOTHER COMPANY PILOT IN A CESSNA 207 STATED THAT HE ENCOUNTERED INSTRUMENT CONDITIONS AT 9500 FT WHILE HE WAS FLYING FROM TONOPAH TO LAS VEGAS, NV. THE CESSNA PILOT HAD TALKED TO THE PIPER PILOT ON THE RADIO. REPORTEDLY, THE PIPER PILOT WAS GOING TO STAY AT 9500 FT. THE WRECKAGE OF THE PIPER WAS FOUND AT THE 9500 FT LEVEL IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, ABOUT 30 MILES WEST OF LAS VEGAS. THE CRASH SITE WAS ON THE WEST SIDE OF MT CHARLESTON. THE AIRCRAFT HAD IMPACTED A SLOPE OF ABOUT 30 DEGREES, WHILE TRAVELING ON AN EASTERLY HEADING.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,505 hours in all; 86 in the last 30 days; 297 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,391 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,578 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Lang Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: TPH Tonopah NV at 8:23 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:49 pm from DRA, 25 miles away
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.