Piper PA28-180 accident near Reno, Nevada, October 18, 1982
On October 18, 1982 at about 2:33 am local time, a Piper PA28-180, registered N8176W, was destroyed in an accident near Reno, Nevada (Cannon International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person 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
- October 18, 1982 · about 2:33 am local time
- Place
- Reno, Nevada · Cannon International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28-180 · all PA28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8176W · no longer on the register · serial 28 2300
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ON A HILLSIDE AT 5200 FEET LEVEL WHILE ON APPROACH TO CANNON INTERNATIONAL AIRPORT RENO, NV AT NIGHT. THE WEATHER WAS VMC. NO MALFUNCTIONS IN EQUIPMENT WERE FOUND THE PILOT SAID THE AIRCRAFT "FELL FROM UNDER ME". HE SAW THE TERRAIN, PULLED THE NOSE UP AND STALLED INTO THE GROUND.
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
- Flight time: 351 hours in all; 351 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,394 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VGT Las Vegas NV at 3:30 pm
- Destination: GCN Grand Canyon AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 25, 6,101 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 320° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 12 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 131°F (55°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:46 pm from RNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.