Piper PA-28-161 accident near Corcoran, California, August 9, 1982
On August 9, 1982 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N47489, was destroyed in an accident near Corcoran, California (Corcoran airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- August 9, 1982 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Corcoran, California · Corcoran · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N47489 · no longer on the register · serial 28-7816081
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED APPROXIMATELY 25 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF. THERE WERE NO WITNESSES TO THE ACCIDENT. THE CRASH SITE WAS A PLOWED & CULTIVATED SEED ALFALFA FARM LAND. GROUND SCARS REVEAL THAT THE ACFT STRUCK THE GROUND IN A LEVEL FLIGHT ATTITUDE, ALL WHEELS SIMULTANEOUSLY. THE FLAPS WERE FULLY EXTENDED. THE PLT'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 335 MG% WITH PUTREFACTION EVIDENT. THE PASSENGER'S BLOOD ALCOHOL LEVEL WAS 138 MG% WITH NO EVIDENCE OF PUTREFACTION.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,280 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Porterville Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: AI Porterville CA at 7:05 pm
- Destination: AI Coalinga CA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 5 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 194°F (90°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.