Piper PA-28-180N accident near Delta, Utah, June 13, 1985
On June 13, 1985 at about 2:30 am local time, a Piper PA-28-180N, registered N4760L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delta, Utah (Delta Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 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
- June 13, 1985 · about 2:30 am local time
- Place
- Delta, Utah · Delta Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180N · all PA-28-180Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4760L · registry record · serial 28-4091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT WAS FLOWN BY A STUDENT PLT AND HIS INSTRUCTOR ON A LOCAL TNG FLT. DURING LANDING THE SUTDENT PLT DID NOT FLAIR THE ACFT IN TIME, HIT HARD AND BOUNCED. THE INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL, MADE A SOFT LANDING FOLLOWED BY THE MAIN LANDING GEAR COLLAPSING. THE ACFT WAS SUBSTANTIALLY DAMAGED, HOWEVER, THE OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED.
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 instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,924 hours in all; 574 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,049 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 17, 1985; 31 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,175 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A3A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: DTA Delta UT at 2:15 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 6,011 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:31 am from U24
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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 N4760L 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.