Piper PA-28-235 accident near Kayenta, Arizona, August 31, 1982
On August 31, 1982 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N8850W, was destroyed in an accident near Kayenta, Arizona (Kayenta airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was 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 31, 1982 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Kayenta, Arizona · Kayenta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N8850W · no longer on the register · serial 2810805
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A WITNESS REPORTED THAT AT ABOUT 200-250 FT THE ENG SPUTTERED, THE ACFT LEVELED OFF & THE ENG STARTED AGAIN. THE ACFT THEN MADE A RIGHT TURN & THE ENG SPUTTERED AGAIN & QUIT. THE RIGHT WING DROPPED DRASTICALLY. NO MALFUNCTIONS WERE NOTED DURING THE ENG TEAR DOWN INSPECTION.
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: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,509 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 0V7 Kayenta AZ at 3:59 pm
- Destination: 0V7 Shiprock NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,210 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 20 knots
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 2:30 pm
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.