Cessna 170B accident near Tama, Iowa, June 6, 1982
On June 6, 1982 at about 2:36 am local time, a Cessna 170B, registered N8187A, was destroyed in an accident near Tama, Iowa (Tama airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 3 people 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
- June 6, 1982 · about 2:36 am local time
- Place
- Tama, Iowa · Tama · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 170B · all 170Bs on the register
- Registration
- N8187A · no longer on the register · serial 25039
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS TO TAKE A FAMILY FRIEND ON A NIGHT AIRPLANE RIDE TO SEE THE LIGHTS OF A NEIGHBORING CITY. THE TAKEOFF WAS MADE FROM A SOFT WET GRASS RUNWAY WITH AN AIRCRAFT EXCEEDING THE MAXIMUM ALLOWABLE GROSS WEIGHT AND THE CENTER OF GRAVITY BEHIND THE AFT CG LIMITS. THE PASSENGERS STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED VERY SLOWLY AND WHEN IT LEFT THE GROUND THE STALL WARNING HORN STARTED TO SOUND. GOING UPSLOPE THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK TREES AND DROPPED TO 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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,550 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,753 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300A (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: Tama Airways, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 8C3 Tama IA at 9:33 pm
- Destination: 8C3 Tama IA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,500 ft by 115 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.