Piper PA-28-161 accident near Olympia, Washington, August 13, 1982
On August 13, 1982 at about 5:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N8436B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Olympia, Washington (Olympia 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
- August 13, 1982 · about 5:00 am local time
- Place
- Olympia, Washington · Olympia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N8436B · no longer on the register · serial 28-8116318
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THIS WAS THE STUDENT PILOT'S FIRST NIGHT FLIGHT. THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT REPORTED THAT ON THE SECOND LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT STRUCK AN ELEVATED SET OF APPROACH LIGHTS, SHORT OF THE RUNWAY.
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: student
- Ratings: instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 486 hours in all; 50 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days; 387 as pilot in command; 102 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 477 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 77 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Vagabond Aviation INC.
The flight
- Departed from: Olympia WA at 8:30 pm
- Destination: Olympia WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 5,399 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 210° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:00 pm from OLM
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.
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.