Piper PA-60-601P accident near Provo, Utah, July 5, 1986
On July 5, 1986 at about 5:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-60-601P, registered N8253J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provo, Utah (Provo Municipal airport). It was a personal 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 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
- July 5, 1986 · about 5:00 pm local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah · Provo Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-60-601P · all PA-60-601Ps on the register
- Registration
- N8253J · no longer on the register · serial 61P065779633
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PLT AND THREE PAX FLEW FROM EL PASO, TX TO PROVO, UT EN ROUTE TO ALASKA VACATION. LEFT MAIN TIRE BLEW AFTER ACFT TOUCHED DOWN. ACFT VEERED TO LEFT AND WENT OFF RWY. EXAMINATION OF TIRE REVEALED LARGE HOLE BUT WITH GOOD TREAD REMAINING. ACFT DAMAGE WAS CONFINED TO LEFT MAIN LANDING GEAR AND WING SKIN BETWEEN FUSELAGE AND LEFT ENGINE. RIGHT MAIN TIRE WAS INFLATED IN EXCESS OF 100 PSI. WITNESSES SAID ACFT LANDED LONG AND FAST WITH SLIGHT TAILWIND.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,252 hours in all; 1,102 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 1,052 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,388 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 7, 1986; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,000 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-S1A5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ELP El Paso TX at 1:00 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,937 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 090° at 2 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 16,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:45 pm from PVU
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.
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.