Piper PA-28-150 accident near Price, Utah, May 31, 2003
On May 31, 2003 at about 11:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-150, registered N5886W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Price, Utah (Price, Ut - Carbon Co. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain directional control and his inadequate compensation for the wind condition. A related factor was the crosswind.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 2003 · about 11:40 pm local time
- Place
- Price, Utah · Price, Ut - Carbon Co. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-150 · all PA-28-150s on the register
- Registration
- N5886W · no longer on the register · serial 28-2614
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot landed on runway 36 with a crosswind of 290 degrees for 13 knots. During the landing roll, the airplane exited the right side of the runway and struck rocks, which removed the fixed landing gear. Subsequently, the engine mount was bent, the bottom of the fuselage forward of the wings was wrinkled, and the empennage was bent. Flight control continuity was confirmed, and not other anomalies were found.
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
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 23, 2003; 15.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Utah Aircraft Alliance
The flight
- Departed from: BTF Bountiful UT at 10:00 pm
- Destination: PUC Price UT
- Flight plan: not recorded
- Runway 36, 8,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 18 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 11:53 pm from PUC
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.