Piper PA-36 accident near Clarkston, Utah, July 12, 1990
On July 12, 1990 at about 12:05 pm local time, a Piper PA-36, registered N9980P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Clarkston, Utah. It was a positioning flight under agricultural flying rules (Part 137). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
JAMMED AILERONS RESULTANT FROM THE COLLISION WITH CROPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 12, 1990 · about 12:05 pm local time
- Place
- Clarkston, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-36 · all PA-36s on the register
- Registration
- N9980P · no longer on the register · serial 36-7560093
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · agricultural flying rules (Part 137)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE COMMERCIAL PILOT WAS LANDING ON A GRAVEL ROAD. DURING LANDING ROLL, HE SAW TALL VEGETATION AND ATTEMPTED A GO AROUND. THE RIGHT SPRAY BOOM CONTACTED THE VEGETATION AT LIFT OFF AND THE BOOM WAS STRIPPED OFF THE WING. THE PILOT SAID HE WAS IN FLIGHT, FULL POWER, WITH NO CONTROL OF THE AILERONS. THE PLANE MADE AN UNCOMMANDED LEFT BANK TO 45 DEGREES, AT WHICH POINT THE PILOT REDUCED POWER AND THE PLANE STRUCK THE TERRAIN LEFT WING FIRST. THE PLANE CARTWHEELED AND TORE THE ENGINE, COWLING AND NOSE FRAMEWORK FROM THE FUSELAGE. THE PLANE CAME TO REST FACING OPPOSITE OF THE FLIGHT PATH.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 8,543 hours in all; 3,513 in this make and model; 209 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 8,423 as pilot in command; 1,486 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,400 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-720-A1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U27 Tremonton UT at 11:45 am
- Destination: NONE
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.