Piper PA-28-151 accident near Panguitch, Utah, August 8, 1995
On August 8, 1995 at about 5:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-28-151, registered N23AF, was substantially damaged in an accident near Panguitch, Utah. It was a business 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 misjudgment of the distance from the sign post.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 8, 1995 · about 5:30 pm local time
- Place
- Panguitch, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-151 · all PA-28-151s on the register
- Registration
- N23AF · registry record
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he landed the airplane on a dirt road next to an airport that had been closed. The airport manager reportedly allowed the pilot to land on the road. The road was parallel to the runway, and the pilot had landed on it during previous occasions. As he taxied to parking, the road began to curve right. The pilot stated that he 'felt a little push of the tail to the left' due to a wind gust. During this time, the left wing of the airplane struck a sign post and separated. The pilot stated that he was looking at the post prior to impacting it, but he did not think that the airplane was in a position to hit 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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 932 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 125 in the last 90 days; 892 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,325 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SGU St. George UT at 3:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 86°F (30°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:50 pm from CDC, 30 miles away
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.