Piper PA-22-160 accident near Fruitland, Utah, April 17, 2010
On April 17, 2010 at about 8:35 pm local time, a Piper PA-22-160, registered N9019D, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Fruitland, Utah (Fruitland airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s improper landing flare.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 17, 2010 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- Fruitland, Utah · Fruitland · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-22-160 · all PA-22-160s on the register
- Registration
- N9019D · registry record · serial 22-6154
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that the windsock indicated light winds straight down the runway and he encountered some light headwind gusts on short final. During the flare, the airplane ballooned and he applied power to smooth the descent. The pilot stated that the landing was a full stall hard landing, which was the only type of landing he ever performed. The left main landing gear subsequently collapsed, the left wing dropped, and the airplane veered to the right. Despite the pilot's control inputs, the airplane exited the right side of the runway surface and impacted a drainage berm. Federal Aviation Administration inspectors examined the airplane and observed that the landing gear shock cord’s retainer lug fractured and separated. The cords released, which caused them to lose all of the tension required to perform their intended function. The structure had no indication of previous cracking or fatigue, and there were 45-degree shear lips around the entire circumference of the fracture surface indicative of an overload condition.
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
- Hard landing during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Landing gear collapse during landing (landing roll)
- Runway excursion during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Landing flare › Incorrect use/operation
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Main landing gear attach sec › Capability exceeded
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 378 hours in all; 268 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 265 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 13, 2009
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,474 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2009; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,000 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2B (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Ventana Air LLC
The flight
- Departed from: U42 West Jordan UT at 7:50 pm
- Destination: UT83 Fruitland UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 4,000 ft by 48 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 8:31 pm from K36U, 36 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N9019D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number WPR10LA207.