Piper PA-28R-201 accident near Elko, Nevada, March 14, 1982
On March 14, 1982 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28R-201, registered N2105M, was destroyed in an accident near Elko, Nevada. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. 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
- March 14, 1982 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Elko, Nevada
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28R-201 · all PA-28R-201s on the register
- Registration
- N2105M · registry record · serial 282437
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE QUIT PRODUCING POWER AND THE PLANE CRASHED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. A TEARDOWN OF THE ENGINE REVEALED NO PREIMPACT FAILURE. THE INITIAL IMPACT OCCURRED WITH A TREE AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 7000 FT MSL. A PIECE OF THE RIGHT WING TIP WAS FOUND NEAR THE INITIAL IMPACT POINT. THE TRAILING EDGE OF THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE BASE OF A SECOND TREE AFTER THE PLANE TRAVELED ABOUT 270 FT DOWN A 20 TO 25 DEGREE SLOPE. THE PLANE CAME TO REST AFTER TRAVELING ANOTHER 135 FT DOWN A 10 DEGREE SLOPE. THE NEAREST OFFICIAL WEATHER OBSERVATION WAS AT ELKO, NEVADA WHICH WAS ABOUT 16 MILES NORTHEAST OF THE CRASH SITE. THE 1153 AND 1254 MST WEATHER OBSERVATIONS WERE: ESTIMATED 800 FT BROKEN, 1200 FT BROKEN, 5500 OVERCAST WITH 10 MILES VISIBILITY. THE ELEVATION OF THE ELKO MUNICIPAL AIRPORT IS 5135 FT MSL.
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
- Flight time: 265 hours in all; 69 in this make and model; 79 in the last 90 days; 208 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation World
The flight
- Departed from: Wendover UT at 11:00 am
- Destination: Palatha FL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 3 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 3,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 104°F (40°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.