Piper PA-28-180 accident near Hurricane, Utah, August 22, 1998
On August 22, 1998 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-180, registered N4760L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hurricane, Utah (Hurricane 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 pilot inadvertently inducing a porpoise oscillation, and his failure to maintain directional control. A factor was the excessive landing airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 1998 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Hurricane, Utah · Hurricane · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-180 · all PA-28-180s on the register
- Registration
- N4760L · registry record · serial 28-4091
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
As the pilot took off from Mesquite, Nevada, he heard 'a loud popping sound' and the airplane 'shook a brief moment.' He thought he had struck an animal or other object. He flew over the runway but saw nothing. He landed at Hurricane, Utah, at 80 knots (92 mph), and used 'slight cross control to compensate for the crosswind,' applied 'light' brake pressure, and raised the flaps. The airplane started to veer to the right. The pilot said he corrected with opposite rudder, but it had no effect. When he applied full left rudder and brakes, the airplane 'began to hop and acted as if it was going over on the left wing.' The airplane departed the right side of the runway and collided with a ditch. Photographs taken at the accident site showed the nose wheel bent and collapsed to the right. There was a dark scuffing mark angling off the runway at a 15 degree angle. According to the photographer, there were also dark scuffing 'chatter' marks down the runway. A airport mechanic and an FAA inspector examined the nose landing gear, steering linkage, and brakes, and reported finding no evidence of a mechanical failure.
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
- Flight time: 300 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 300 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,255 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 11, 1998; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 67L Mesquite NV at 8:15 pm
- Destination: 1L8
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,410 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 17 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from SGU, 17 miles away
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 N4760L the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.