# Accident 20070308002779A: Piper PA28235, Wendover, UT, March 8, 2007

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: March 8, 2007, 21:35 local time
- Place: Wendover, UT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 40.7783° N, 113.0839° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.7783&lon=-113.0839&mi=10
- Aircraft: N9381W, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N9381W-2009-11-16) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-28-235 (registry code 7102810, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-235) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming 0-540 series (registry code 41532, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-0-540-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA28235
- People aboard: 3
- Fatal injuries: 3
- Pilot flight hours: 0 total, 0 in this make and model, 0 in the last 90 days
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB LAX07FA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07FA103) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20070308002779A

## Narrative

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

(-23) THE AIRCRAFT WAS ON A NIGHT VFR FLIGHT FROM WENDOVER, UTAH TO SALT LAKE CITY, UTAH. A LOCAL MILITARY RADAR SHOWED THE AIRCRAFT HAD CLIMBED TO 8,400 FEET MSL AND ENTERED AN AREA OF PRECIPITATION RETURNS THAT THE RADAR SITE WAS PAINTING. ANOTHER AIRCRAFT FLYING A THOUSAND FEET LOWER WATCHED THE AIRCRAFT TURN NORTH BOUND AND DISAPPEAR FROM SIGHT INTO WHAT APPEARED TO BE CLOUD OR PRECIPITATION. APPROXIMATELY ONE MINUTE & FORTY FIVE SECONDS AFTER ENTERING THE AREA OF PRECIPITATION THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARED FROM RADAR. THE AIRCRAFT HAD SUFFERED AN IN FLIGHT BREAKUP DUE TO OVERSTRESS CONDITIONS AND WAS LOCATED THE FOLLOWING MORNING. NO EVIDENCE OF MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND.

## 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 LAX07FA103](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX07FA103), Mar 8, 2007: Piper PA-28-235 (N9381W), Tooele, UT, destroyed, 3 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot exceeded the design stress limits of the airplane, which resulted in the in-flight separation of the wings and horizontal stabilizers. Contributing to the accident were the night lighting…

## Other reports on N9381W (1)

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

- [Incident 19900623034179I](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19900623034179I), Jun 23, 1990: Piper PA28235 (N9381W), Price, UT, Minor damage. Lost directional control on landing rollout. Veered off the side of runway.

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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