Piper PA-20 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, June 6, 2006
On June 6, 2006 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-20, registered N7494K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City Municipal 2 airport). It was an instructional 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
An improper flare and the pilot's failure to maintain directional control during the landing which resulted in the aircraft nosing over. Delayed remedial action was a factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 2006 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City Municipal 2 · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-20 · all PA-20s on the register
- Registration
- N7494K · registry record · serial 20-409
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot was practicing three-point landings when the airplane began to bounce and drift to the left. The pilot said that he initially thought about going around, but hesitated as the airplane continued to bounce and drift left. The pilot stated that he then decided to go around, adding full power and raising the flaps. He related that after he added full power the airplane continued to bounce and porpoise while drifting further to the left, which prompted him to abort the go-around. He said he then made a right rudder and right brake input, "...then I panicked and hit both brakes. The airplane nosed over and came to rest upside down [off the side of the runway]. I should have gone around sooner rather than thinking about it."
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 34 hours in all; 34 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
The aircraft
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U42 Salt Lake City UT
- Destination: U42 Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.