Piper PA-28-235 accident near Bullfrog, Utah, August 12, 1989
On August 12, 1989 at about 5:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-235, registered N9084W, was destroyed in an accident near Bullfrog, Utah (Bullfrog Basin airport). It was a personal 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
IMPROPER FLARE BY THE PILOT, HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALIGNMENT, AND THE IMPROPER REMEDIAL ACTION WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND OBJECTS (RUNWAY LIGHT AND SMUDGE POT) WERE CONSIDERED TO BE CONTRIBUTING FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 12, 1989 · about 5:35 pm local time
- Place
- Bullfrog, Utah · Bullfrog Basin · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-235 · all PA-28-235s on the register
- Registration
- N9084W · no longer on the register · serial 28-10687
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING & FILED A VFR FLT PLAN FROM SALT LAKE CITY TO BULLFROG, UT. THE WX WAS VFR. THE FLT PROCEEDED UNEVENTFULLY UNTIL A LANDING WAS MADE AT BULLFROG. WITNESSES SAW THE ACFT TOUCHDOWN HARD, BOUNCE, & DEPART THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RWY. THE ACFT THEN STRUCK A RWY LIGHT & A SMUDGE POT. IT WAS OBSERVED TO LIFT OFF & ENTER A STEEP LEFT BANK. SUBSEQUENTLY, IT CRASHED IN A LEFT WING LOW ATTITUDE & BEGAN BURNING. THE ACFT WAS DEMOLISHED BY IMPACT & FIRE. DENSITY ALT AT THE ARPT WAS APRX 6500 FT.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 700 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 408 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,112 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 29, 1988
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-B4B5 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: U42 Salt Lake City UT at 3:43 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 19, 3,500 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 90°F (32°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.