Piper PA-22-160 accident near Ogden, Utah, February 21, 2009
On February 21, 2009 at about 7:50 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N8637D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Ogden, Utah (Ogden Hinkley Airport). 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 loss of directional control during the landing roll due to the separation of the tailwheel spring retaining clip for unknown reasons.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 2009 · about 7:50 pm local time
- Place
- Ogden, Utah · Ogden Hinkley Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N8637D · no longer on the register · serial 22-5845
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that the tailwheel-equipped airplane started veering to the right during the landing roll. Despite his control inputs, the airplane continued to veer to the right, exited the runway, and tipped onto its left wing tip, damaging the left elevator, before coming to rest upright within a snow bank. According to the pilot, the left tailwheel steering link (spring retaining clip), Univair Part number 2133, was missing from the tailwheel assembly and a search failed to locate it on the runway or near the airplane. A missing tailwheel steering link would allow the tailwheel to freely caster.
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
What happened, in order
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll)
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Failure
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 13,512 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 5,700 as pilot in command; 911 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 5, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,538 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 1, 2009
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 SERIES (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BMC Brigham City UT at 7:25 pm
- Destination: OGD Ogden UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,195 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 23°F (-5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.32 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.