Piper PA-28-140 accident near Moab, Utah, May 12, 2007
On May 12, 2007 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8598N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Moab, Utah (Mineral Canyon Strip Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to obtain and maintain an adequate airspeed that resulted in a stall/mush. Also causal was the pilot's failure to abort the takeoff in a timely way. A factor in the accident was the high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 12, 2007 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Moab, Utah · Mineral Canyon Strip Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8598N · no longer on the register · serial 28-7125424
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane descended into a river during the initial climb from a private airstrip. During the departure roll, the airplane's landing gear followed contours in the soft, uneven terrain that made up the dirt strip. The airplane accelerated slowly and the pilot realized that he would be unable to abort the takeoff, as brush and low trees were located adjacent to the end of the runway surface. The airplane became airborne and remained in ground effect. The pilot maneuvered the airplane in a right turn to avoid the brush and proceed toward the lower terrain near the river. The pilot physically detected a stall buffet and lowered the nose in an effort to arrest the imminent stall. The airplane descended into the river, coming to rest in shallow water adjacent to a sand bar. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine. He estimated the density altitude was at least 7,000 feet.
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: 990 hours in all; 540 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UT75 Moab UT
- Destination: CNY Moab UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 2,000 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 4,000 ft
- Temperature: 90°F (32°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.