Piper PA-20 accident near Burlington, Connecticut, August 8, 1982
On August 8, 1982 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N1836A, was substantially damaged in an accident near Burlington, Connecticut (Johnnycake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. 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
- August 8, 1982 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Burlington, Connecticut · Johnnycake
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N1836A · registry record · serial 20875
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT BEGAN TAKING OFF ON RUNWAY 19 WITH A RIGHT CROSSWIND. REPORTEDLY, A STRONG GUST OF WIND WAS ENCOUNTERED AND THE AIRCRAFT VEERED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. IT HEADED TOWARD THE OPENING OF A CULVERT THAT WENT UNDER THE RUNWAY. TO AVOID THE OPENING, THE PILOT TURNED THE AIRCRAFT FURTHER LEFT. AFTER THE LEFT TURN, THE PILOT WAS UNABLE TO SLOW THE AIRCRAFT AS IT PROCEEDED DOUNGRADE WITH A QUARTERING TAILWIND. HE TRIED TO MANEUVER THE PLANE BETWEEN THE CULVERT OPENING AND A TREE; HOWEVER, THE LEFT WING TIP STRUCK THE TREE. THE WIND WAS ESTIMATED TO BE FROM 270 DEG AT 15, GUSTING 35 KNOTS.
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: 1,989 hours in all; 1,526 in this make and model; 26 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,000 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 22B Burlington CT at 1:00 pm
- Destination: 22B Burlington CT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,675 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 140°F (60°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.