Piper PA-28-140 accident near Mt Pleasant, Utah, September 4, 1995
On September 4, 1995 at about 2:20 am local time, a Piper PA-28-140, registered N8261N, was substantially damaged in an accident near Mt Pleasant, Utah (Mount Pleasant airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED DURING CLIMBOUT. FACTORS INCLUDE WIND SHEAR AND HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 4, 1995 · about 2:20 am local time
- Place
- Mt Pleasant, Utah · Mount Pleasant · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-28-140 · all PA-28-140s on the register
- Registration
- N8261N · no longer on the register · serial 28-25473
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT LOADED HIS AIRCRAFT TO WITHIN 50 POUNDS OF GROSS WEIGHT AND ATTEMPTED A SHORT-FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURE AT A DENSITY ALTITUDE OF APPROXIMATELY 8000 FEET. AFTER LIFT-OFF HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS FROM 25 DEGREES TO 10 DEGREES AND THE AIRCRAFT CLIMBED TO ABOUT 150 FEET ABOVE GROUND LEVEL. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE LOWERED THE NOSE TO ACCELERATE, BUT NOTED THAT HIS AIRSPEED HAD DECAYED ABOUT 15 MPH, AND THE STALL WARNING LIGHT WAS ON. HE LOWERED THE NOSE IN AN ATTEMPT TO REGAIN AIRSPEED, BUT WAS UNABLE TO REGAIN AIRSPEED OR RECOVER FROM AN UNCONTROLLED DESCENT. HE WAS ABLE TO MANEUVER TO AVOID SOME OBSTACLES AND TERRAIN, BUT CRASHED IN A HOSPITAL PARKING LOT. THE PILOT BELIEVED THAT HE HAD BEEN SUBJECTED TO WIND SHEAR AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 379 hours in all; 298 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 317 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,613 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 12, 1995; 29 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 43U at 2:20 am
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 2, 4,260 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 040° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 12,000 ft
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.