Piper PA 28-181 accident near Port Angeles, Washington, May 13, 1982
On May 13, 1982 at about 5:30 am local time, a Piper PA 28-181, registered N8113B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Port Angeles, Washington. It was a personal 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
- May 13, 1982 · about 5:30 am local time
- Place
- Port Angeles, Washington · 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
- N8113B · registry record · serial 288090128
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ABOUT 10 MINUTES AFTER TAKEOFF, THE PILOT REALIZED THAT HE WAS SOUTH OF COURSE. AFTER BEGINNING A SHALLOW TURN BACK TO COURSE, HE REALIZED THAT HE WAS IN CLOSE PROXIMITY TO MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN. HE MADE AN ABRUPT 40 DEGREE LEFT BANK TO GET AWAY FROM THE TERRAIN. THE LEFT WING STRUCK THE TOPS OF TREES, BUT THE AIRCRAFT CONTINUED FLYING. THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE DEPARTURE AIRPORT WHERE HE LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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: 168 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 118 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (invalid medical for flight)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Port Angeles WA at 10:20 pm
- Destination: S50 Auburn WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 118°F (48°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.