Piper PA-34-220T accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, August 11, 1987
On August 11, 1987 at about 7:40 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-220T, registered N2431Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City Int'L airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- August 11, 1987 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City Int'L · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-220T · all PA-34-220Ts on the register
- Registration
- N2431Q · registry record · serial 248533024
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THE TOUCHDOWN SEEMED NORMAL BUT THE AIRCRAFT BEGAN TO PORPOISE, THE PROPELLERS STRUCK THE RUNWAY AND THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO A STOP. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION REVEALED THE NOSE GEAR STEERING ROLLER HAD BECOME DISLODGED AND PREVENTED PROPER TRACKING OF THE NOSE WHEEL.
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, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,130 hours in all; 15 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 1,565 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-KB (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: J-Air, INC
The flight
- Departed from: CEZ Cortez CO at 5:40 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 34R, 9,596 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 8,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 82°F (28°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.