Piper PA-32R-301T accident near Parowan, Utah, February 4, 2008
On February 4, 2008 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-32R-301T, registered N73BL, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Parowan, Utah (Parowan Airport). 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
The pilot's improper in-flight decision not to over fly/inspect the snow covered runway prior to landing, and his failure to align the airplane over the centerline of the runway. Contributing to the accident was the snow covered runway, the airport operator's failure to properly plow and clear the runway, and hidden obstructions (previously plowed snow) under the freshly fallen snow.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 4, 2008 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Parowan, Utah · Parowan Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32R-301T · all PA-32R-301Ts on the register
- Registration
- N73BL · registry record · serial 3257450
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a landing on a runway covered by about two to three inches of freshly fallen snow, one of the airplane's main landing gear impacted a snow covered mound of previously plowed snow that had hardened. That impact threw the airplane sideways, whereupon it collided with more of the previously plowed and hardened snow, resulting in the collapse of all the landing gear struts. The investigation determined that the last time that the runway was plowed, the snow had not been cleared all the way to the edge of the runway's paved surface, and there was therefore piles of previously plowed snow on the outer portions of the runway surface. Some of that snow was located 10 to 12 feet inboard of the edge of the runway surface. When the new snow fell, it became very hard to distinguish between the area where the previously cleared surface was covered only by the newly fallen snow, and the area where the chunks of previously plowed snow had piled up, hardened, and then been covered by the new snow. The pilot departed the same airport two days before the accident, and had seen the condition of the partially plowed runway. When he returned for landing on the day of the accident, he assumed that the old snow had been cleared away prior to the new snow falling, and that the entire runway was then covered only with the two to three inches of freshly fallen snow. Because he made that assumption, the pilot did not take advantage of the opportunity to perform a low approach and inspect the entire runway surface prior to landing. Soon after the airplane touched down, the pilot realized that the previously plowed snow was still on the edges of the runway, and that he had not touched down on the centerline. The pilot saw the chunks of snow-covered old snow prior to the impact, but before he could take remedial action, one of the airplane's main gear collided with a chunk of hardened old snow, and the accident sequence was initiated.
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
What happened, in order
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › Snow/slush/ice covered › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Hidden/submerged object › Not specified
- factor Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incomplete action › Airport personnel
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › (general) › Capability exceeded
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,339 hours in all; 561 in this make and model; 61 in the last 90 days; 27 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 1, 2007
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 235 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 1, 2007
- Maximum gross weight: 3,615 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AH1A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KVGT Las Vegas NV at 5:00 pm
- Destination: 1L9 Parowan UT
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 22, 5,000 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: ovct at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 25°F (-4°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.81 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.