Piper PA-28-181 accident near Bountiful, Utah, April 23, 1990
On April 23, 1990 at about 1:00 am local time, a Piper PA-28-181, registered N8126W, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bountiful, Utah (Sky Paar Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE DUAL STUDENT. FACTORS IN THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PREMATURE LIFT-OFF BY DUAL STUDENT, THE ROUGH TERRAIN AND THE FENCE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 23, 1990 · about 1:00 am local time
- Place
- Bountiful, Utah · Sky Paar Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-181 · all PA-28-181s on the register
- Registration
- N8126W · no longer on the register · serial 288090153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING INITIAL TAKEOFF ON AN INSTRUCTIONAL FLIGHT, WITH THE 13 HOUR TOTAL TIME STUDENT CONDUCTING THE TAKEOFF, THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE THEN SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THE 509 HOUR TOTAL TIME FLIGHT INSTRUCTOR TOOK CONTROL AND ABORTED THE TAKEOFF BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP ON THE REMAINING RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT EXITED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, WENT THROUGH TWO FENCES, ACROSS A ROAD AND CAME TO REST IN A PARKING LOT.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 509 hours in all; 40 in this make and model; 253 in the last 90 days; 105 in the last 30 days; 393 as pilot in command; 259 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BTF
- Destination: BTF
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 4,700 ft by 60 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 5,500 ft; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 11:52 pm from SLC, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.