Piper PA-23-160 accident near Hurricane, Utah, April 9, 1994
On April 9, 1994 at about 7:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-23-160, registered N4480P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hurricane, Utah. 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 IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO REFUEL AND EXCESSIVE AIRSPEED DURING THE APPROACH. FACTOR(S) WERE: FENCEPOST(S) AND THE LACK OF RECENT EXPERIENCE IN TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 9, 1994 · about 7:35 pm local time
- Place
- Hurricane, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-23-160 · all PA-23-160s on the register
- Registration
- N4480P · no longer on the register · serial 23-2002
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER TOPPING OFF WITH 72 GALLONS OF FUEL THE PILOT FLEW 1.25 HOURS AND THEN MADE AN INTERMEDIATE STOP DURING WHICH NO FUEL WAS ACQUIRED. UPON DEPARTURE AT 1150 HOURS, THE FUEL GAGES READ SLIGHTLY MORE THAN HALF. DURING THE DESCENT TO HIS FINAL DESTINATION, POWER WAS LOST ON THE LEFT ENGINE. THE PILOT WAS REQUIRED TO HAND PUMP THE GEAR AND FLAPS DOWN DURING WHICH HE 'USED UP MOST OF THE RUNWAY' AND EXECUTED A SINGLE ENGINE GO- AROUND. HE THEN MANUALLY BEGAN HAND PUMPING THE GEAR AND FLAPS UP BUT WAS UNABLE TO ESTABLISH A POSITIVE CLIMB, AND EXECUTED AN INTENTIONAL FORCED LANDING TO AVOID POWER LINES. DURING THE FORCED LANDING (AT 1335 HOURS) THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED SEVERAL FENCE POSTS. POST CRASH EXAMINATION OF THE AIRCRAFT BY A MECHANIC REVEALED NO FUEL IN THE FUEL TANKS AND NO ODOR OF FUEL IN OR AROUND THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT INDICATED THAT IT HAD BEEN A WHILE SINCE HE HAD FLOWN THIS TYPE OF AIRCRAFT.
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 multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,763 hours in all; 132 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 57 in the last 30 days; 3,597 as pilot in command; 1,376 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B3B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDC Cedar City UT at 5:50 pm
- Flight plan: VFR then IFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 5,100 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 55°F (13°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.