Piper PA-24-250 accident near Provo, Utah, June 8, 2002
On June 8, 2002 at about 3:30 am local time, a Piper PA-24-250, registered N146P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provo, Utah (Provo Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the total loss of engine power for reasons undetermined.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 8, 2002 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah · Provo Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-24-250 · all PA-24-250s on the register
- Registration
- N146P · registry record · serial PA-24-366
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Prior to departure, the pilot topped off both fuel tanks with a total of 33.13 gallons of 100LL aviation fuel. After departure, the pilot noticed that the cockpit fuel quantity gauges displayed approximately 3/4 rather than full. However, the pilot and passenger had visually verified that the fuel tanks were topped off. Prior to returning to the destination airport, the pilot decided to execute a touch and go landing at another airport. During the climb out after the touch and go landing, the engine "sputtered" and lost total power. The airplane impacted the terrain, and came to rest upright on the belly of the fuselage off the end of the runway. Airport personnel stated that the left fuel tank contained approximately four inches of fuel, the right fuel tank was empty, and the fuel selector was found in the left tank position. The engine was test run on the airplane with no anomalies noted. The reason for the loss of engine power during the takeoff climb was not determined.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 250 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 114 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 186 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 13, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,267.8 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 2002; 144.9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-A1C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 67L Mesquite NV at 2:00 am
- Destination: BTF Bountiful UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 13, 8,599 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N146P the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW02LA173.