Piper PA-22-150 accident near Morgan, Utah, April 3, 1987
On April 3, 1987 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-150, registered N3809P, was destroyed in an accident near Morgan, Utah (Morgan Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were seriously injured. 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
- April 3, 1987 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Morgan, Utah · Morgan Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-150 · all PA-22-150s on the register
- Registration
- N3809P · no longer on the register · serial 22-3498
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT DEPARTED MORGAN ARPT WITH AN ACFT NEAR GROSS WEIGHT, IN A RELATIVELY STRONG CROSS WIND. AFTER A SUCCESSFUL TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 100 AGL, HE SAID HE ENCOUNTERED MODERATE TURBULENCE AND A DOWNDRAFT. ALTITUDE AND AIRSPEED COULD NOT BE MAINTAINED. THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GROUND A SHORT DISTANCE FROM THE DEPARTURE END OF RWY 21.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,150 hours in all; 350 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 5,080 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,378 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, November 24, 1986; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-A2B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 42U Morgan City UT at 10:28 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 3,800 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
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.