Piper PA-28-161 accident near Ogden, Utah, February 6, 1992
On February 6, 1992 at about 4:04 am local time, a Piper PA-28-161, registered N4370B, was destroyed in an accident near Ogden, Utah. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE IMPROPER DECISION BY THE INSTRUCTOR PILOT TO PERFORM MAINTENANCE IN FLIGHT AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN TERRAIN CLEARANCE. FACTORS RELATING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITIONS, MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN IN THE AREA, AND THE INSTRUCTOR DIVERTING HIS ATTENTION FROM FLIGHT DUTIES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1992 · about 4:04 am local time
- Place
- Ogden, Utah
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-161 · all PA-28-161s on the register
- Registration
- N4370B · no longer on the register · serial 28-8416114
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A NIGHT INSTRUMENT TRAINING FLIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN, THE CFI INSTRUCTED THE HOODED STUDENT TO FLY AN ALTITUDE AND HEADING DIRECTLY TOWARD A RIDGELINE WHILE HE CHANGED A BATTERY IN A PORTABLE INTERCOM SYSTEM BEING USED ON THE FLT. THE ACFT IMPACTED RISING MOUNT TERRAIN ON THE HEADING AND ALTITUDE ASSIGNED BY THE CFI.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: glider; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 5,103 hours in all; 49 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 4,927 as pilot in command; 1,923 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,389 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 27, 1992; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D3G (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Hill Afb Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: HIF Hill Afb UT at 1:34 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:45 am from OGD, 21 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | 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.