Piper PA-28-180 accident near Richfield, Utah, March 7, 2003
On March 7, 2003 at about 9:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N8205W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Richfield, Utah (Richfield Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing roll resulting in a ground loop/swerve and subsequent nose over. A contributing factor was the gusty wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 7, 2003 · about 9:05 pm local time
- Place
- Richfield, Utah · Richfield Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N8205W · registry record · serial 28-2336
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was on a return flight and stated that he received an AWOS weather update. He entered the left downwind and attempted to land on 19. As he began to flare, he encountered a gust of wind from the west. He added power for a go-around and then set up for a landing on runway 01. The touchdown on runway 01 was "normal," but during the landing roll, a gust of wind caught the left wing. He said it "felt like the nose landing gear was skidding across the runway." He attempted to regain control and correct this by adding "full rudder." He thought of applying full power for a go-around, but he felt he was going too slow. The airplane veered off the right side of the runway. After leaving the runway, the nose landing gear "seemed to collapse." The right wing tip struck the ground and the airplane nosed over. In a telephone interview, the pilot stated that the winds were approximately 270 degrees at 12 knots gusting to 28 knots.
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 engineer, private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 395 hours in all; 325 in this make and model; 395 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 25, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,998.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 2002; 28.8 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: MTJ Montrose CO at 6:00 pm
- Destination: RIF Richfield UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 6,600 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots, gusting 28
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.