Piper PA-28-235D accident near Falls City, Nebraska, July 18, 1982
On July 18, 1982 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235D, registered N8532N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Falls City, Nebraska (Brenner Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were 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 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Falls City, Nebraska · Brenner Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235D · all PA-28-235Ds on the register
- Registration
- N8532N · registry record · serial 28-11331
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED THAT WHILE HE WAS LANDING WITH A 6 TO 7 KT CROSSWIND, THE PLANE WAS BLOWN TOWARD THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. IN ORDER TO AVOID THE RUNWAY LIGHTS, HE INTENTIONALLY MANEUVERED THE AIRCRAFT OFF THE SIDE OF THE RUNWAY, INTO THE GRASS. WHEN HE FOUND THAT HE WOULD BE UNABLE TO STOP BEFORE CROSSING AN INTERSECTING RUNWAY, HE INITIATED A GO-AROUND. DURING THE LIFT-OFF, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN INTERSECTION MARKER CONE. AFTER THE GO-AROUND AND AN UNEVENTFUL LANDING, THE PILOT FOUND A DEEP GASH IN THE BOTTOM OF THE AFT FUSELAGE.
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: 174 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 106 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 798 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FNB Falls City NE at 4:00 pm
- Destination: FNB Falls City NE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 3,400 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 230° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 196°F (91°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.