Piper PA-23-250 accident near Panaca, Nevada, September 27, 1982
On September 27, 1982 at about 3:00 am local time, a Piper PA-23-250, registered N14168, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panaca, Nevada. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
- September 27, 1982 · about 3:00 am local time
- Place
- Panaca, Nevada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-250 · all PA-23-250s on the register
- Registration
- N14168 · registry record · serial 23-4732
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT ENCOUNTERED THUNDERSTORM ACTIVITY AT 1900. THE LEFT FUEL GAUGE WAS INOP & HE HAD NO COMMUNICATION EQUIPMENT. THERE WAS ONLY ONE NAV RECEIVER OPERATIVE, NO INSTRUMENT LIGHTS OR SLAVED DG AVAILABLE. AS IT BECAME DARKER HE WAS UNABLE TO SEE THE INSTRUMENT PANEL. HE NOTICED THE 10 AMP C/B HAD POPPED. DURING THE PRECAUTIONARY LANDING AT LINCOLN COUNTY ARPT HE WAS UNABLE TO ACTIVATE THE RWY LIGHTS BECAUSE HE HAD NO RADIO TRANSMITTER. SINCE HE HAD NO ELECTRICAL POWER HE WAS UNABLE TO USE THE LANDING LIGHT. HE MADE THE FIRST APPROACH ATTEMPT FROM NORTH TO SOUTH. HE THEN MADE THE LAST APPROACH ATTEMPT FROM THE SOUTH TO THE NORTH. THE ACFT STRUCK ROLLING TERRAIN APPROXIMATELY 1 MI SOUTH OF THE RWY. A LAB EVALUATION OF BOTH VOLTAGE REGULATORS SHOWED THEM TO OPERATE WITHIN THE MANUFACTURER'S RATED PERFORMANCE.
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: 10,635 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 150 in the last 90 days; 10,470 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,700 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-C4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Novato CA at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Longmont CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 300° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 4,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 95°F (35°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.