Piper PA-34-200 accident near Ogden, Utah, March 12, 1998
On March 12, 1998 at about 11:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-34-200, registered N83DA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ogden, Utah (Ogden-Hinkley Municipal airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot not understanding the crew briefing, his premature retraction of the landing gear, and the flight instructor's inadequate supervision of the flight. A factor relating to the accident was: the exchange of unclear information due to the student's language barrier.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 1998 · about 11:08 pm local time
- Place
- Ogden, Utah · Ogden-Hinkley Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-34-200 · all PA-34-200s on the register
- Registration
- N83DA · no longer on the register · serial 347350328
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor was giving rejected takeoff instruction to a foreign student. As power was increased, tower cancelled the takeoff clearance and instructed the pilot to 'hold in position.' The instructor said the student did not understand the instruction, so he retarded engine power and repeated the clearance to the student. After repositioning the airplane for takeoff, he asked the student if he understood the clearance. The student acknowledged. After receiving takeoff clearance again, the instructor reduced power on the right engine, when the airplane was 10 mph below rotation speed. The student 'rotated (decided to fly), and the airplane became airborne.' The instructor told the student to land the airplane as there was sufficient runway remaining. The student did not respond. The instructor attempted to land, but tower advised that the landing gear was not extended. The instructor applied full power on the right engine, but the airplane settled onto the runway.
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; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 540 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command; 1,250 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,903 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, February 20, 1998; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming I0-360-C1E6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OGD at 11:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 21, 8,000 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:58 pm from SLC, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.