Piper PA-28-140 accident near Shanksville, Pennsylvania, July 21, 1982
On July 21, 1982 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N1885T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Shanksville, Pennsylvania. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 21, 1982 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Shanksville, Pennsylvania
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N1885T · registry record · serial 28-1225041
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING PREFLIGHT THE PLT ESTIMATED HE HAD ABOUT 18 GALS OF FUEL ON BOARD. APPROXIMATELY 10 MIN AFTER TAKEOFF THE ENG QUIT DUE TO FUEL EXHAUSTION. THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A POWER LINE POLE DURING THE FORCED LANDING. THE ARPT'S FBO STATED THAT FUEL WAS NOT AVAILABLE AS THE SUPPLY HAD BEEN DEPLETED SINCE 7/15.
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: 400 hours in all; 202 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 345 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,367 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,050 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Somerset PA at 8:30 am
- Destination: Somerset PA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 070° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 142°F (61°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number NYC82FGM14.