Piper PA-34-200 accident near Bountiful, Utah, January 9, 2003
On January 9, 2003 at about 3:45 am local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N16453, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bountiful, Utah (Bountiful-Skypark 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain clearance from the power lines and his improper in flight planning and decision to maneuver on a go around without noting where the power lines were. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot's inability to see the power lines, the dark night, the fog, and the power lines.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 9, 2003 · about 3:45 am local time
- Place
- Bountiful, Utah · Bountiful-Skypark Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N16453 · no longer on the register · serial 34-7350146
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot set up for a traffic pattern to runway 16. There was fog observed to the west of the runway, but no fog over the runway. On short final with runway lights in sight and everything going as planned, the pilot said they descended into a patch of fog. The pilot initiated a go around, applying full power, pitching up and making a turn to the east. Seconds later the airplane struck power lines breaking the nose gear rearward and damaging the bottom portions of several airplane bulkheads and stringers aft of the nose gear. The pilot noticed the unsafe gear warning lights and elected to lower the gear. The pilot noted the nose gear light was not lit. The pilot proceeded to another airport and performed an uneventful approach. On landing, the airplane's nose cowling was set down on the runway. The airplane skidded down the runway on its nose cowling until it came to a stop. An examination of the accident area showed broken power poles and downed power lines. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies.
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: flight instructor, recreational
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 779 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 698 as pilot in command; 95 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 8, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,848.3 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 19, 2002; 32 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine 1: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Engine 2: Lycoming IO-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ENV Wendover UT at 2:00 am
- Destination: BTF Bountiful UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 4,700 ft by 70 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.09 inHg
- Observation at 3:56 am from SLC, 200 miles away
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.