Piper PA32-300 accident near Shelton, Washington, August 13, 1982
On August 13, 1982 at about 6:30 am local time, a Piper PA32-300, registered N9732K, was destroyed in an accident near Shelton, Washington (Sanderson Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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 6:30 am local time
- Place
- Shelton, Washington · Sanderson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA32-300 · all PA32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N9732K · no longer on the register · serial 32-7840026
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES 3 MILES WEST OF THE ARPT HEARD THE SOUNDS OF THE DEPARTING ACFT. AS THE ACFT PROCEEDED NORTHBOUND, SOUNDS OF ENG POWER CYCLING WERE HEARD, FOLLOWED BY INCREASING NOISE LEVELS AS IF THE ACFT WAS RETURNING TO THE FIELD. AT THE SUDDEN SOUND OF HIGH ENGINE POWER, ONE WITNESS OBSERVED THE ACFT IN A VERTICAL DESCENT TO THE GROUND. TOXICOLOGICAL TESTS SHOWED A BLOOD ALCOHOL CONTENT OF 0.111 %.
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: 792 hours in all; 236 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 651 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 496 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 125 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SHN Shelton WA at 11:28 pm
- Destination: BFI Seattle WA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 23, 5,050 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 2 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 2,200 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 145°F (63°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.