Piper PA-31-350 accident near Monument Valley, Utah, September 8, 1989
On September 8, 1989 at about 3:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-31-350, registered N3554P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monument Valley, Utah (Monument Valley airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135). No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO ADEQUATELY COMPENSATE FOR WINDSHEAR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 8, 1989 · about 3:50 pm local time
- Place
- Monument Valley, Utah · Monument Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 9 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-31-350 · all PA-31-350s on the register
- Registration
- N3554P · registry record · serial 31-8052052
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · charter and air-taxi rules (Part 135)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
TWO ACFT THAT LANDED AHEAD OF THIS FLIGHT REPORTED WINDSHEAR ON FINAL APPROACH. THE PLT SAID THAT 1 MILE FROM THE THRESHOLD, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED A 15 KT INCREASE IN AIRSPEED, FOLLOWED BY A 15 KT DECREASE IN AIRSPEED. THE PLT SAID THE FLIGHT THEN RETURNED TO A NORMAL APPROACH PROFILE & SPEED. THEN, ON SHORT FINAL, HE HEARD THE STALL HORN AND ADVANCED BOTH THROTTLES FULL FOWARD. THE PLANE ENTERED A STEEP SINK RATE. THE PLANE STRUCK A SAND MOUND WITH THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR. THE PLT WAS ABLE TO RECOVER AND LANDED WITHOUT FURTHER INCIDENT.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,686 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 247 in the last 90 days; 65 in the last 30 days; 3,386 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 7,000 lb
- Seats: 10
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-J2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aviation Services West, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: PGA Page AZ at 2:05 pm
- Destination: 71V Monument Valley UT
- Runway 16, 3,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 10 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 8 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N3554P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.