- Date
- September 24, 1982, 21:09 local (Sep 25, 1982, 02:09 UTC)
- Place
- Mankato, MN
- Injuries
- 2 fatal, 1 serious, 1 minor
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Approach
- Aircraft
- N82717Piper PA-28-181
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Status
- Completed · report September 24, 1983
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 19820924053199A
- Case key
- 71564
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
At about 1530 CDT, the aircraft departed mattoon, IL on a flight to Mankato, MN. However, the pilot landed at albert lea, MN where he refueled and topped the tanks with 45.5 gal of fuel. The aircraft's usable supply was 48 gal. While refueling, he reportedly told the airport manager that he thought he was at Mankato when he was landing at albert lea. Albert lea was about 42 mi from Mankato. The airport manager stated that the pilot looked tired and that he (the manager) tried to presuade the pilot to continue the trip by automobile. The aircraft departed albert lea at about 2050 CDT. A short time later, the pilot contacted Mankato UNICOM and was provided landing information. During a night landing, the aircraft struck a power line about 65 ft AGL and 4327 ft from the runway, then nosed over and impacted in an inverted attitude. The two front seat occupants were fatally injured. Two young children in the back seats, both in child restraint seats, survived, one with minor injuries. Rwy VASI lgts on.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N82717
- Reported as
- Piper PA-28-181
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 28-8190286
- Airframe hours
- 379
- Engine
- Lycoming O-360-A4M, 180 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Twin City Aviation
- Registered owner
- Phil & Betty Sawyer
- Departed
- Albert Lea, MN
- Destination
- Mankato, MN
- Airport
- MKT · Mankato, runway 33, 5,400 × 100 ft, asphalt
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 35
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 80 total · 8 in this make and model · 47 as pilot in command · 8 in the last 90 days · 2 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Night/dark
- Wind
- 10° at 9 knots
- Visibility
- 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 1,700 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 127 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- RWF, 56 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N82717 · 1
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.