Piper PA-28-181 accident near Lawrence, Kansas, July 18, 1982
On July 18, 1982 at about 2:22 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N43957, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lawrence, Kansas (Lawrence Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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
- July 18, 1982 · about 2:22 pm local time
- Place
- Lawrence, Kansas · Lawrence Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N43957 · registry record · serial 287890034
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT WAS ON HIS THIRD SOLO CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. A NOTAM WAS IN EFFECT SHOWING PART OF RUNWAY 19 AT LAWRENCE MUNICIPAL WAS CLOSED. THE PILOT SAID HE SAW THE MARKINGS BUT WAS DISTRACTED BY A CROSSWIND. HE LANDED ON THE CLOSED PORTION OF THE RUNWAY AND COLLIDED WITH A TRENCH.
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: student
- Flight time: 46 hours in all; 46 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 21 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,251 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: HUT Hutchinson KS at 8:08 am
- Destination: HUT Hutchinson KS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 2,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 181°F (83°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 am from TOP
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.