Piper PA28 accident near West Jordan, Utah, April 15, 2025
On April 15, 2025 at about 8:35 pm local time, a 1973 Piper PA28, registered N15984, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near West Jordan, Utah (South Valley Regional Airport). It was an instructional 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during takeoff. Contributing to the accident was the pilot inadvertently using a runway that resulted in a tailwind condition and the flight instructors delayed remedial action.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 15, 2025 · about 8:35 pm local time
- Place
- West Jordan, Utah · South Valley Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA28 140, built 1973 · all PA28s on the register
- Registration
- N15984 · registry record · serial 28-7325218
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor and student were performing a simulated soft-field takeoff from a paved runway. During the takeoff roll, the airplane rotated at about 65 mph, and began to drift left of the runway centerline. The student pilot then lowered the nose, and the airplane settled back onto the runway. The student then attempted to abort the takeoff and reduced the power to idle as the airplane exited the left side of the runway and struck a directional sign. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. Winds at the time of the accident were recorded to be 10 knots at 340°, about 20 minutes prior to the accident were recorded to be variable at 6 knots, and about 40 minutes before the accident, the winds were 11 gusting to 16 knots at 150°.
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
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
- Runway excursion during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Student/instructed pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Delayed action › Instructor/check pilot
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 113.1 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 9 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 778 hours in all; 316.1 in this make and model; 100.1 in the last 90 days; 16.6 in the last 30 days; 661.9 as pilot in command; 329.9 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 12, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,300.9 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 2, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E3D (piston); 3,301 hours total
- Operator: Nightline Air
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,862 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.08 inHg
- Observation at 2:35 pm from KU42
Weather report (METAR): KU42 152035Z AUTO 34009KT 10SM CLR 22/M03 A3008 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 11, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR25LA142.