Piper PA-32-300 accident near Topeka, Kansas, January 23, 1982
On January 23, 1982 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N2872D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Topeka, Kansas (Phillip Billard airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. 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
- January 23, 1982 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Topeka, Kansas · Phillip Billard · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N2872D · registry record · serial 32 7940167
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING CROSSWIND LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 35. THE WIND WAS FROM 290 DEGREES AT 15 GUSTING 23 KNOTS. DURING A LANDING FLARE, A GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED. THE PLANE SKIDDED AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR STRUCK AN ICE BANK AND COLLAPSED.
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: 343 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 292 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 550 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: TOP Topeka KS at 2:00 pm
- Destination: TOP Topeka KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N2872D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.