Piper PA-28-140B accident near Monument Valley, Utah, May 11, 2002
On May 11, 2002 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140B, registered N345M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monument Valley, Utah (Monument Valley airport). 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 pilot's inadvertent stall/mush to the ground during landing flare. Contributing factors were the earth berm along the side of the runway, and the wind shear weather condition on short final.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2002 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Monument Valley, Utah · Monument Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140B · all PA-28-140Bs on the register
- Registration
- N345M · registry record · serial 28-25705
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that he arrived at his destination 2-3 hours after the planned arrival time. At approximately 50 feet above ground level the airplane experienced a significant loss in air speed due to a "sudden wind shift/shear." The aircraft was moved approximately 50 feet to the right and impacted an earth berm. The nose wheel landing gear collapsed aft, and the engine mount, engine firewall, cowling and fuselage were bent.
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: 418 hours in all; 410 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 388 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 12, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,560 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 2001; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CHD Chandler AZ at 4:17 pm
- Destination: UT25 Monument Valley UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 7 knots, gusting 19
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.88 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from CEZ, 75 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N345M 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.