Piper PA-28RT-201T accident near Duck Creek, Utah, September 18, 1998
On September 18, 1998 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Piper PA-28RT-201T, registered N8252S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Duck Creek, Utah. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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
Loose intake valve rocker arm studs that allowed a loss of compression and a loss of oil. A factor was unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing and poles next to a cattle guard.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 1998 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Duck Creek, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28RT-201T PA-28RT-20 · all PA-28RT-201Ts on the register
- Registration
- N8252S · registry record · serial 28R8031170
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was in cruise flight at 12,500 feet when the pilot noticed the manifold pressure had dropped from 51.8 inches to 25 inches. 'The engine had poor response to throttle movement, and the engine sounded bad when I moved the throttle.' He made the decision not to proceed further due to the remote terrain. As he checked his maps for the nearest airport, the airplane lost altitude. 'The engine did not seem to have much power, and I was about 3,000 feet AGL by this time.' The pilot made a forced landing on a dirt road. During rollout the aircraft struck poles alongside of a cattle guard. According to the salvage company and the FAA inspector who examined the engine, two of the four screws securing the rocker cover on the number 3 cylinder were missing, and oil was leaking out. The rocker cover had a round indention on the outside, and a wear mark on the inside. The exhaust rocker arm studs were also loose. The rear stud was only finger tight. Aluminum was found imbedded in its threads. The front stud was loose, but its nut locking mechanism was still in place.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,185 hours in all; 140 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 1,839 as pilot in command; 609 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,792 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 24, 1998; 43 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,900 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-F (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Wings Of Denver Flying Club
The flight
- Departed from: CNY Moab UT at 7:00 pm
- Destination: VGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 23 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 81°F (27°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 pm from CDC, 41 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N8252S 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.