Piper PA31-325 accident near Cedar City, Utah, April 26, 1990
On April 26, 1990 at about 4:30 am local time, a Piper PA31-325, registered N18PP, was destroyed in an accident near Cedar City, Utah (Cedar City Munic. airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN A MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE OVER MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN DURING A NIGHT VFR APPROACH FOR LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 1990 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Cedar City, Utah · Cedar City Munic. · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA31-325 · all PA31-325s on the register
- Registration
- N18PP · no longer on the register · serial 51-7512046
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT REPORTED TO ATC THAT HE INTENDED TO MAKE AN UNSCHEDULED FUEL STOP. ATC ADVISED THAT CEDAR CITY AIRPORT WAS FIFTEEN MINUTES AWAY. RADAR VECTORS WERE REQUESTED AND WERE ISSUED. ALTHOUGH DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS EXISTED AND THE PILOT CONTROLLED AIRPORT LIGHTING WAS NEVER ACTIVATED, THE PILOT REPORTED THE AIRPORT IN SIGHT AND WAS CLEARED FOR A VISUAL APPROACH. THREE MINUTES LATER RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST. IMPACT OCCURRED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT 9,100 FEET ELEVATION ABOUT SIX MILES EAST OF THE 5,622 FOOT ELEVATION AIRPORT. MINIMUM SAFE ALTITUDE WAS 12,400 FEET.
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: 2,000 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,260 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 12, 1990; 40 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 6,500 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-F2BD (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
- Operator: 18Pp, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: DEN Denver CO at 1:17 am
- Destination: RNO Reno NV
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:50 am from CDC, 6 miles away
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.