Piper PA-20 accident near Scottsbluff, Nebraska, August 9, 1982
On August 9, 1982 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N1970A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Scottsbluff, Nebraska (Scottsbluff County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- August 9, 1982 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Scottsbluff, Nebraska · Scottsbluff County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N1970A · no longer on the register · serial 20-879
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT RAISED THE TAIL AT ABOUT 50 MPH AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED TO THE LEFT. DESPITE THE PILOT'S COUNTERMEASURES, IT DEPARTED THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE RIGHT GEAR THEN COLLAPSED AND THE RIGHT WING AND PROPELLER WERE DAMAGED. AN INSPECTION OF THE LEFT BRAKE REVEALED THAT THE COMPENSATING PORT ON THE MASTER CYLINDER WAS PLUGGED WITH DIRT. THIS WAS BINDING THE LEFT BRAKE TO THE EXTENT THAT THE LEFT WHEEL ASSEMBLY WOULD BARELY ROTATE.
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: 240 hours in all; 238 in this make and model; 91 in the last 90 days; 216 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,175 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BFF Scottsbluff NE at 10:20 am
- Destination: RWL Rawlins WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 8,280 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 10,000 ft; scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:21 pm from BFF
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.