Piper AEROSTAR 601P accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, January 5, 1984
On January 5, 1984 at about 4:50 pm local time, a Piper AEROSTAR 601P, registered N234AD, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (International airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 5, 1984 · about 4:50 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper AEROSTAR 601P AEROSTAR 6 · all AEROSTAR 601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N234AD · registry record · serial 61P-0418-151
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CRASHED SHORTLY AFTER TAKEOFF IN IMC WEATHER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT FOLLOWING A DISTRACTION FROM A CABIN DOOR BEING LEFT AJAR, COUPLED WITH SOLID IFR FLIGHT CONDITIONS, RESULTED IN THE ACFT ENTERING A STALL PROFILE. THE PLT EXECUTED A FORCED LANDING INTO AN OPEN FIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE ACFT AND ENGINE FAILED TO REVEAL ANY PRE-IMPACT MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 12,500 hours in all; 320 in this make and model; 185 in the last 90 days; 2,350 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 2, 1983; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: LAS Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34R, 9,596 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 1 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 pm from SLC, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.