Piper PA34-200T accident near Jackson, Wyoming, September 13, 1990
On September 13, 1990 at about 1:15 am local time, a Piper PA34-200T, registered N3981F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Jackson, Wyoming (Jackson Hole airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT MISJUDGED THE LANDING FLARE AND LANDED HARD.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 13, 1990 · about 1:15 am local time
- Place
- Jackson, Wyoming · Jackson Hole · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA34-200T · all PA34-200Ts on the register
- Registration
- N3981F · no longer on the register · serial 34-7670325
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AT THE END OF A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT, THE PILOT SET UP FOR LANDING. THE GEAR WAS LOWERED AND A THREE GREE INDICATION WAS NOTED. WHILE ON FINAL APPROACH, THE PILOT FELT THE AIRPLANE WAS SLIGHTLY HIGH ON THE APPROACH AND POWER WAS REDUCED AND FULL FLAPS WERE EXTENDED. A CROSS WIND OF 10 KNOTS REQUIRED THE PILOT TO CRAB TO THE RIGHT IN ORDER TO MAINTAIN RUNWAY ALLIGNMENT. AFTER CROSSING THE THRESHOLD, THE PILOT REDUCED ALL POWER AND THE MAIN LANDING GEAR MADE CONTACT WITH THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE BOUNCED AND BECAME AIRBORNE. THE PILOT LEVELED THE AIRPLANE AND 'MILKED' IT BACK TO THE RUNWAY. THE AIRPLANE LANDED HARD ON ALL THREE LANDING GEAR. THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED AND THE AIRPLANE SKIDDED TO A STOP. POST CRASH INSPECTION OF THE LANDING GEAR DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURES OR MALFUNCTIONS.
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: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 483 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days; 410 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,570 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-360-E (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3S2 Aurora OR at 10:15 pm
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 18, 6,299 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 240° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.