Piper PA-28-161 accident near Draper, Utah, December 15, 1987
On December 15, 1987 at about 1:58 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N2138J, was destroyed in an accident near Draper, Utah. It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. 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
- December 15, 1987 · about 1:58 am local time
- Place
- Draper, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N2138J · no longer on the register · serial 287916206
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DRG A NGT FLT TO REPOSITION THE ACFT TO ITS HOME BASE, THE ENG LOST PWR AS THE PLT WAS CRUISING AT ABOUT 1000' AGL. HE TRANSMITTED A 'MAYDAY' CALL & MANEUVERED THE ACFT TO MAKE A FORCED LNDG ON AN INTERSTATE HIWAY. WHILE APCHG TO LND, THE ACFT STRUCK THE TOP (GROUND) WIRE OF A PWR LINE THAT CROSSED THE HIWAY IN THAT AREA. THE ACFT THEN FLIPPED OVER & FELL ON THE NORTHBOUND LANES OF THE HIWAY. A TEAR DOWN OF THE ENG REVEALED THE ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR ATTACHING BOLT (PN: STD-847) HAD BACKED OUT, ALLOWING THE DRIVE GEAR TO LOOSEN. THIS RESULTED IN A LOSS OF SYNCHRONIZATION OF VALVE & IGNITION TIMING. AN INCORRECTLY SIZED HELI-COIL, USED TO REPAIR THE GEAR ATTACHING THREADS, WAS FOUND INSTALLED IN THE CRANKSHAFT.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 961 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 854 as pilot in command; 375 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,393 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, October 23, 1987; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Alpine Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: SLC Salt Lake City UT at 1:30 am
- Destination: PUV Provo UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, bright
- Wind: from 260° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:55 am from SLC, 15 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.