Piper PA-32-300 accident near Heber City, Utah, February 6, 1996
On February 6, 1996 at about 8:37 pm local time, a Piper PA-32-300, registered N9242C, was substantially damaged in an accident near Heber City, Utah (Heber City Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's attempted VFR flight into IMC, and his failure to maintain adequate altitude and clearance from terrain during the landing flare. Factors contributing to the accident were the snowbank, fog, and the pilot's complacent attitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1996 · about 8:37 pm local time
- Place
- Heber City, Utah · Heber City Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 2 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-32-300 · all PA-32-300s on the register
- Registration
- N9242C · registry record · serial 32-7840092
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated private pilot stated that the visibility near his destination was reduced due to fog, but he thought he had enough visibility to land on runway 3. As he entered the base leg, he overshot the runway and attempted to correct. During the landing, the left main landing gear struck a snowbank on the edge of the runway, and the airplane was pulled into the ground. The left wing was torn off in the impact. The pilot did not report any preimpact mechanical malfunctions. Under the 'Recommendation' section of the NTSB Pilot/Operator Report, the pilot suggested 'avoid complacent attitude' to prevent the accident from occurring again.
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: 1,612 hours in all; 1,381 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,101 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 1, 1995; 34 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540-K1G5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APV Apple Valley CA at 4:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 3, 6,900 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 0.2 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 100 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from PVU, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.