Piper PA-38-112 accident near Boulder City, Nevada, June 15, 1992
On June 15, 1992 at about 8:08 pm local time, a Piper PA-38-112, registered N2516D, was destroyed in an accident near Boulder City, Nevada (Boulder City airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT'S INADEQUATE SUPERVISION OF THE STUDENT PILOT TO INSURE THE PROPER FLAP SETTING FOR TAKEOFF WHICH RESULTED IN THE PROPER CLIMB RATE NOT BEING ATTAINED. CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WAS RISING TERRAIN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 15, 1992 · about 8:08 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder City, Nevada · Boulder City · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-38-112 · all PA-38-112s on the register
- Registration
- N2516D · no longer on the register · serial 38-79A0349
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A PIPER PA-38-112 COLLIDED WITH AN UNMARKED POWER TRANSMISSION LINE STATIC CABLE DURING THE TAKEOFF CLIMB AFTER EXECUTING A TOUCH AND GO MANEUVER. THE AIRPLANE WAS AT A CONSTANT AIRSPEED AND LOW ALTITUDE ABOVE THE UPSLOPING TERRAIN LOCATED NORTH OF THE AIRPORT. THE AIRPLANE THEN STRUCK THE STATIC CABLE WITH ITS RIGHT WING AS IT ENTERED A RIGHT TURN. THE 20:1 APPROACH CLEAR ZONE PLANE RATIO FOR THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY IS OBSTRUCTED BY AN APPROXIMATE FOUR FOOT HIGH DIRT BERM. RISING TERRAIN CONTINUES NORTH OF THE AIRPORT BUT DOES NOT OBSTRUCT THE 20:1 CLEARANCE RATIO. POWER TRANSMISSION LINES CROSS RUNWAY 33'S EXTENDED CENTERLINE ON A NORTHWESTERLY HEADING ABOUT 3,800 FEET FROM THE RUNWAY END. SUPPORT TOWERS FOR THE POWER TRANSMISSION LINE CABLES ARE ABOUT 60 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL, BUT DID NOT EXTEND INTO THE 20:1 CLEARANCE RATIO. THE POWER TRANSMISSION LINES ARE DEPICTED ON THE SECTIONAL AERONAUTICAL CHART. THE AIRPLANE'S FLAPS WERE FOUND TO BE FULLY EXTENDED. THE PIPER INFORMATION MANUAL DOES NOT PRESCRIBE THE USE OF FULL FLAPS FOR ANY TAKEOFF MANEUVERS.
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 single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 970 hours in all; 155 in this make and model; 88 in the last 90 days; 30 in the last 30 days; 719 as pilot in command; 568 on instruments
- Medical certificate: None (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,554 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 1992; 68 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Desert Southwest Airlines
The flight
- Departed from: LAS Las Vegas NV at 7:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 3,850 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.