Piper PA-32RT-300T accident near St. George, Utah, April 16, 2003
On April 16, 2003 at about 1:20 am local time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, registered N31998, was substantially damaged in an accident near St. George, Utah (St. George Municipal airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's improper flare technique, resulting in a hard landing that caused the nose landing gear down-lock to fail and the gear to collapse. A contributing factor was the unfavorable wind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 16, 2003 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- St. George, Utah · St. George Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32RT-300T · all PA-32RT-300Ts on the register
- Registration
- N31998 · registry record · serial 32R7887019
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a normal straight-in approach and "crossed the fence at about 80 to 90 knots." Just before touchdown, the airplane "ballooned" and touched down "a little harder than normal." The nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a halt about 1,300 feet down the runway. The nose landing gear down-lock and an exemplar down-lock were sent to NTSB's materials laboratory for examination. The examination showed the down-lock "contained a fracture that intersected the hook portion." Microscopic examination revealed "a river pattern that pointed to the inner bend area of the hook, indicating that this was the origin of the fracture. The fracture face contained features typical of overstress separation, with no evidence of a preexisting (fatigue) crack. The origin area of the fracture contained no evidence of mechanical or corrosion damage. However, contact wear was noted in the throat of the hook."
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; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 407 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 110 in the last 90 days
- Last flight review: January 26, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 270 hours in all; 235 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,802 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 15, 2003; 71 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,600 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycomming TIO-540-S1AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LGB Long Beach CA
- Destination: SGU St. George UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 6,606 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:35 am from SGU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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 N31998 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.