Piper PA46 accident near Hurricane, Utah, October 21, 2018
On October 21, 2018 at about 6:00 pm local time, a 2007 Piper PA46, registered N413LL, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (climb to cruise) near Hurricane, Utah (General Dick Stout Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The mechanic’s failure to properly align the engine exhaust crossover pipe during replacement, and his supervisor’s failure to properly inspect the installation, which resulted in an in-flight fire and the loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 21, 2018 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hurricane, Utah · General Dick Stout Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA46 350P, built 2007 · all PA46s on the register
- Registration
- N413LL · no longer on the register · serial 4636413
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff, the pilot smelled smoke. As he began to turn the airplane back to the airport, the engine lost total power. He conducted a forced landing in a field just short of the airport, during which the airplane struck a metal fence and pipe. All occupants egressed, and the pilot then noticed that a fire had erupted under the airplane's engine cowling. Postaccident examination revealed that the airplane sustained fire damage to the roof and forward end of the baggage compartment along with the engine accessory area between the firewall and aft air baffles. Further examination revealed that one of the engine exhaust crossover pipe assemblies was misaligned at the slip joint. An engine manufacturer service bulletin (SB) called for inspections of the exhaust system slip and flange joints to identify misaligned exhaust components. The last maintenance event occurred about 7 1/2 flight hours before the accident, during which the SB was performed and resulted in the replacement of crossover pipes. The mechanic who had performed the most recent maintenance did not follow the correct procedures for reinstallation of the crossover pipe, and the inspector who reviewed his work did not examine the installation as it progressed but instead inspected the pipes after they were installed and essentially hidden from view by their protective heat shield. As a result of the misaligned engine exhaust crossover pipe, hot exhaust gases escaped into the engine compartment and started a fire, which compromised critical engine fuel and oil lines, and resulted in the loss of engine power.
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
- Aircraft maintenance event during prior to flight
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during enroute (climb to cruise) defining event
- Fire/smoke (non-impact) during enroute (climb to cruise)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine exhaust › (general) › Incorrect service/maintenance
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Maintenance › Installation › Maintenance personnel
- cause Organizational issues › Support/oversight/monitoring › Oversight › Oversight of maintenance › Maintenance provider
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Ground equipment › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,000 hours in all; 1,500 in this make and model; 70 in the last 90 days; 38 in the last 30 days; 6,850 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: April 25, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,088 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 18, 2018; 30 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 4,340 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming TIO-540-AE2A (piston); 1,118 hours total
- Fire in flight and on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 1L8 Hurricane UT at 5:58 pm
- Destination: SLC Salt Lake City UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 01, 3,283 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 040° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 7,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 5:56 pm from KDXZ, 12 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 3 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on June 26, 2020. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Interview Summaries | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | NTSB Engine Examination Report | PDF, 13 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Avidyne Engine Data Log | LOG file | Download |
| 5 | Lycoming Service Bulletin Sb 521 | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Release of Aircraft Wreckage, NTSB Form 6120.15 | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Evidence Control Form | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.