Piper PA-28-181 accident near Jerome, Idaho, February 26, 1982
On February 26, 1982 at about 4:45 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N3561G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jerome, Idaho (Jerome airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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
- February 26, 1982 · about 4:45 am local time
- Place
- Jerome, Idaho · Jerome · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N3561G · no longer on the register · serial 28 8090185
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT WAS PRACTICING NIGHT LANDINGS UNDER SUPERVISION OF AN INSTRUCTOR. THERE WAS A 40 DEGREE LEFT CROSS- WIND PREVAILING AT 16 KNOTS. WHILE LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT BOUNCED AND DRIFTED RIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR THOUGHT THERE WAS PLENTY OF ROOM, SO HE DID NOT ASSUME CONTROL OF THE PLANE. HOWEVER, DURING THE NEXT TOUCHDOWN, THE PLANE STRUCK A SNOWBANK. THE SNOWBANK WAS PARALLEL TO THE RUNWAY AND WAS LOCATED ABOUT 20 FT INSIDE OF THE RUNWAY LIGHTS.
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; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,495 hours in all; 110 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 1,321 as pilot in command; 635 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 965 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 26 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Sun Valley Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SUN Hailey ID at 8:30 pm
- Destination: SUN Hailey ID
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 040° at 16 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 15,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 91°F (33°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Other NTSB records under N3561G the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.