Mooney M20A accident near Halstead, Kansas, October 12, 1982
On October 12, 1982 at about 10:40 pm local time, a Mooney M20A, registered N8311E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Halstead, Kansas (Halstead Airport (Pri.)). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. 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
- October 12, 1982 · about 10:40 pm local time
- Place
- Halstead, Kansas · Halstead Airport (Pri.)
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Mooney M20A · all M20As on the register
- Registration
- N8311E · no longer on the register · serial 1489
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING ARRIVAL, THE PILOT NOTED THAT THE WIND WAS FROM THE NORTHWEST. HE ESTIMATE IT WAS FROM 330 DEG AT 20, GUSTING 35 KTS. ON FINAL APPROACH, THE AIRCRAFT WAS REPORTEDLY UNSTABLE DUE TO GUSTY WINDS AND TURBULENCE. THE PILOT OBSERVED AND WAS AWARE OF THE POWER LINES NEAR THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY. HE STATED THAT AIRCRAFT SETTLED, POSSIBLY DUE TO WIND SHEAR, AND HE WAS THEN UNABLE TO AVOID THE LINES. THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AND SEVERED THE POWER LINES AND THEN IMPACTED THE GROUND JUST SHORT OF THE RUNWAY. THE POWER LINES WERE NOT MARKED. BUT ORANGE FIBERGLASS BALLS WERE MOUNTED ON 35 FT POLES, ABEAM THE APPROACH END OF THE RUNWAY.
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
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,017 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 41 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MKC Kansas City MO at 4:00 pm
- Destination: Hallstead KS
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,600 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 330° at 20 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.