Piper PA-24-260 accident near Ogden, Utah, June 28, 2003
On June 28, 2003 at about 7:47 pm local time, a Piper PA-24-260, registered N8547P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ogden, Utah (Odgen-Hinkley 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 failure of the landing gear retraction/extension assembly due to the improper rigging of the landing gear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 28, 2003 · about 7:47 pm local time
- Place
- Ogden, Utah · Odgen-Hinkley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-260 · all PA-24-260s on the register
- Registration
- N8547P · registry record · serial 24-4004
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he had just taken off. During the climb, he noticed that the landing gear indicator did not indicate up and locked. The pilot reported that he cycled the gear, but still did not have the up and locked indication. The airplane landed and rolled approximately 300 feet when the gear collapsed, causing substantial damage to a bulkhead, the engine mounts, firewall, and propeller. The pilot said the landing gear might have been rigged improperly. An examination of the landing gear system showed the system was rigged improperly resulting in the inability of the locking mechanism to hold the gear in the up and locked or down and locked positions. The landing gear motor brakes showed excessive wear. No other anomalies were found. A review of the airplane's logbook showed that the landing gear had undergone extensive maintenance approximately 30 hours prior to the accident.
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: 1,162 hours in all; 600 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 1,104 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 29, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,172 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 15, 2002; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-D4A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGD Ogden UT at 7:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 25, 5,590 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.07 inHg
- Observation at 6:50 pm from OGD, 1 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.
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.