# Accident 20030415004749A: Piper PA32RT300T, Saint George, UT, April 15, 2003

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: April 15, 2003, 18:40 local time
- Place: Saint George, UT
- Airport: Saint George Municipal
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Level Off Touchdown
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.0914° N, 113.5922° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0914&lon=-113.5922&mi=10
- Aircraft: N31998, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N31998) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-32RT-300T (registry code 7103216, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming TI0-540 series (registry code 41533, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA32RT300T
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Pilot flight hours: 407 total, 78 in this make and model, 102 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB DEN03LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA065) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030415004749A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

(-23) DURING A CROSSWIND LANDING ON RUNWAY 34 AT ST. GEORGE UT, THE AIRCRAFT ENCOUNTERED A GUST THAT SHEARED JUST ABOVE THE RUNWAY. THE AIRCRAFT FLOATED MOMENTARILY THEN DROPPED OUT OF THE GUST. THE LEFT WING WAS LOWERED FOR A LEFT CROSSWIND CORRECTION CAUSING THE LEFT MAIN GEAR TO IMPACT THE RUNWAY SIMULTANEOUSLY FOLLOWED BY RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE GEAR TOGETHER. THE NOSE GEAR RETRACTED UPON TOUCHDOWN CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO DECELLERATE ON THE PROPELLER AND ENGINE COWLING. THE AIRCRAFT REMAINED ALIGNED WITH RUNWAY CENTERLINE THROUGH OUT THE LANDING. BOTH FRONT SEAT PILOTS VERIFY 3 GREEN LIGHTS FOR LANDING GEAR DOWN PRIOR TO LANDING. THE LEFT MAIN GEAR WAS PULLED REARWARD APPROXIMATELY 15 DEGREES AS WELL AS DAMAGE TO PROPELLER, ENGINE AND COWLING. THE AIRCRAFT WAS REMOVED FROM THE RUNWAY FOR SCHEDULED AIR CARRIER ARRIVAL. UPON INSPECTION THE NOSE GEAR DOWN LOCK ASSEMBLY HAD SHEARED AT THE OVERCENTER MECHANICAL LOCKING PIN WHICH ALLOWED THE NOSE GEAR TO RETRACT.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB DEN03LA065](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA065), Apr 16, 2003: Piper PA-32RT-300T (N31998), St. George, UT, substantial damage. Probable cause: the pilot's improper flare technique, resulting in a hard landing that caused the nose landing gear down-lock to fail and the gear to collapse. A contributing factor was the unfavorable wind.

## Other reports on N31998 (4)

Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.

- [Accident 20250622007119A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250622007119A), Jun 22, 2025: Piper PA-32RT-300T (N31998), Winchester, ID, Substantial damage. Pilot switched off the fuel lever instead of switching it to the left fuel tank. Once pilot realized this, he immediately went into restart procedures. The…
- [Incident 20130824017819I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20130824017819I), Aug 24, 2013: Piper PA-32RT-300T (N31998), Salt Lake City, UT, Minor damage. The pilot was not able to retract the landing gear after trying the emergency gear extension checklist. The aircraft came to rest on the runway on the main…
- [Incident 20101109050809I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20101109050809I), Nov 9, 2010: Piper PA-32RT-300 (N31998), Salt Lake City, UT, Minor damage. Aircraft was landing when the flight instructor realized during the landing flare that the gear was not down. The instructor made the determination to…
- [Incident 19910330025329I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19910330025329I), Mar 30, 1991: Piper PA32RT300T (N31998), Price, UT. Engine noise and dropped in RPM. Secured engine. Oil on windshields. Landed on road. NR1 cylinder had failed.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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