Cessna 172P and Piper PA-28-161 mid-air collision near Sanford, Maine, May 12, 1982
On May 12, 1982 at about 8:15 pm local time, 2 aircraft, Cessna 172P (N53442) and Piper PA-28-161 (N81029), were involved in a mid-air collision near Sanford, Maine (Sanford Municipal airport). 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. 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
- May 12, 1982 · about 8:15 pm local time
- Place
- Sanford, Maine · Sanford Municipal
- Type
- Accident · mid-air collision
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured and 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft 1
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N53442 · registry record · serial 17274750
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
- Aircraft 2
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N81029 · no longer on the register · serial 28-8016110
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative for the Cessna 172P final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-28, N81029, AND A CESSNA 172P, N53442, WERE APPROACHING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14, WHEN THEY COLLIDED ABOUT 1000 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER STATED THAT HE HAD ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND BEGAN TO EXPLAIN THE MECHANICS OF THE PATTERN TO HIS DAUGHTER. AFTER MAKING A NORMAL LANDING, HE MADE A "RUNWAY TAKEOFF" AND BEGAN A SECOND PATTERN. HE STATED WHEN HE WAS ON BASE LEG FOR HIS SECOND LANDING, HE HEARD ANOTHER PILOT CALL ON A LEFT DOWNWIND. REPORTEDLY, HE THEN TRANSMITTED THAT HE WAS ON BASE AND CONTINUED LOOKING FOR OTHER TRAFFIC. ON FINAL APPROACH HE SAW THE SHADOW OF N53442 ON HIS PLANE JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE CESSNA PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD TRACKED TO THE RADIO BEACON, AND AFTER BEACON PASSAGE, STARTED A LONG FINAL APPROACH. REPORTEDLY, HE CALLED ON A LONG FINAL APPROACH ABOUT 2 MILES OUT AND LOOKED FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT. JUST PRIOR TO COLLISION, HE SAW THE PIPER CONVERGING FROM BELOW. AFTER IMPACT, HE HAD PARTIAL CTL TIL HE CRASH LNDD IN A PARKING LOT & HIT A CAR. N81029 CRASHED IN UNCTLD DSCNT.
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 NTSB's narrative for the Piper PA-28-161 final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-28, N81029, AND A CESSNA 172P, N53442, WERE APPROACHING TO LAND ON RUNWAY 14, WHEN THEY COLLIDED ABOUT 1000 FT FROM THE THRESHOLD. THE PILOT OF THE PIPER STATED THAT HE HAD ENTERED THE TRAFFIC PATTERN AND BEGAN TO EXPLAIN THE MECHANICS OF THE PATTERN TO HIS DAUGHTER. AFTER MAKING A NORMAL LANDING, HE MADE A "RUNWAY TAKEOFF" AND BEGAN A SECOND PATTERN. HE STATED WHEN HE WAS ON BASE LEG FOR HIS SECOND LANDING, HE HEARD ANOTHER PILOT CALL ON A LEFT DOWNWIND. REPORTEDLY, HE THE TRANSMITTED THAT HE WAS ON BASE AND CONTINUED LOOKING FOR OTHER TRAFFIC. ON FINAL APPROACH HE SAW THE SHADOW OF N53442 ON HIS PLANE JUST BEFORE IMPACT. THE CESSNA PILOT REPORTED THAT HE HAD TRACKED TO THE RADIO BEACON, AND AFTER BEACON PASSAGE, STARTED A LONG FINAL APPROACH. REPORTEDLY, HE CALLED ON A LONG FINAL APPROACH ABOUT 2 MILES OUT AND LOOKED FOR OTHER AIRCRAFT. JUST PRIOR TO COLLISION, HE SAW THE PIPER CONVERGING FROM BELOW. AFTER IMPACT, HE HAD PARTIAL CTL TIL HE CRASH LNDD IN A PARKING LOT & HIT A CAR. N81029 CRASHED IN UNCTLD DSCNT.
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 for the Cessna 172P from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,864 hours in all; 202 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days; 1,750 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 291 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 84 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-O2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: New England Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: C Rochester NY at 1:15 pm
- Destination: C Sanford ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,100 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 133°F (56°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 3:46 pm from PWM, 27 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
The factual record for the Piper PA-28-161 from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 432 hours in all; 432 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 395 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,082 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D36 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Portland ME at 3:30 pm
- Destination: Sanford ME
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,100 ft by 150 ft
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.