Piper PA-28-180 accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts, November 19, 1982
On November 19, 1982 at about 2:45 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N9103J, was destroyed in an accident near Plymouth, Massachusetts (Plymouth Municipal airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 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
- November 19, 1982 · about 2:45 pm local time
- Place
- Plymouth, Massachusetts · Plymouth Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N9103J · registry record · serial 28-3145
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT HAD BEEN REPOSSESSED. THE PURPOSE OF THE FLIGHT WAS FOR THE PILOT TO DEMONSTRATE IT TO ONE OR BOTH OF THE OTHER OCCUPANTS. PRIOR TO THIS FLIGHT, THE AIRCRAFT HAD NOT BEEN FLOWN SINCE 5/20/82. DURING TAKEOFF, THE ENGINE LOST POWER AT ABOUT 200 FT AGL. THE PILOT MADE A RIGHT TURN BACK TOWARD THE RUNWAY, BUT THE PLANE CRASHED IN A WOODED AREA BESIDE THE DEPARTURE END. IT WAS IN A STEEP RIGHT BANK DURING IMPACT WITH THE TREES. AFTER THE ACCIDENT, WATER WAS FOUND IN THE LEFT WIND TANK, FUEL SUMP AT THE ENGINE FIRE WALL, ELECTRIC FUEL PUMP AND ATTACHED LINES, ENGINE DRIVEN FUEL PUMP AND CARBURETOR. THE FUEL SELECTOR WAS FOUND POSITIONED TO THE LEFT TANK. ALSO, THE ATTACH CABLE FOR THE RIGHT INBOARD SEAT BELT WAS FOUND BROKEN. SAMPLES OF THE SEAT BELT CABLES WERE TESTED ONE OF 3 SAMPLES FAILED AT 1570 LBS (THE OTHER 2 SAMPLES TESTED TO 2126 & 2174 LBS). CORROSION WAS FOUND ON THE WEAKER SAMPLE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,338 hours in all; 3,500 in this make and model; 5,167 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,834 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PYM Plymouth MA at 9:45 am
- Destination: PYM Plymouth MA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 6, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 113°F (45°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:00 pm from PYM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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 NYC83FA030.