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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 11, 2002 · about 6:20 pm local time · cases in 2002
- Place
- Monument Valley, Utah · Monument Valley · cases near this airport · 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
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N345M on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Piper PA-28 Cherokee, Warrior, Archer and Arrow 18,621 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Piper 44,840 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A 100 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Monument Valley Airport · nearest airport
- Chandler Municipal · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Utah 1,440 since 1982 · 263 in the last ten years
- Utah 8,353 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N345M 1 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN02LA042.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.