# Accident 20230104000889A: Piper Aircraft Inc PA-34-220T, New Harmony, UT, January 4, 2023

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: January 4, 2023, 14:55 local time
- Place: New Harmony, UT
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Maneuver
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.5205° N, 113.2806° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.5205&lon=-113.2806&mi=10
- Aircraft: N814WT, registered now (https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N814WT) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Piper PA-34-220T (registry code 7103223, https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-34-220t) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Continental TSIO-360-RB (registry code 17303, https://openairdocs.org/engine/continental-tsio-360-rb) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER AIRCRAFT INC PA-34-220T
- Reported engine: CONT MOTOR TSIO-360-RB
- People aboard: 1
- Fatal injuries: 1
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Private pilot
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR23FA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA083) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20230104000889A

## Narrative

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

THE MORNING OF JANUARY 4TH, 2023, THE PILOT TOOK-OFF FROM SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL (SLC) AND LANDED IN ST. GEORGE REGIONAL AIRPORT (SGU) AT APPROXIMATELY 1200 FOR A PERSONAL/BUSINESS TRIP.

THE PILOT RECEIVED 79.4 GALLONS OF FUEL FROM ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^, AT 1230 UPON LANDING AT SGU.

THE PILOT TOOK OFF FROM ST. GEORGE REGIONAL AIRPORT (SGU) AT 1441 ON JANUARY 4TH, 2023, EN-ROUTE TO SALT LAKE CITY INTERNATIONAL (SLC) RETURNING HOME. WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE ON THE AIRCRAFT DID NOT START RIGHT AWAY.

AT APPROXIMATELY 1454 THE PILOT PASSED OVER NEW HARMONY AND STARTED A LEFT TURN TOWARD THE MOUNTAIN RANGE. AT APPROXIMATELY 1455 THE AIRCRAFT HAD MADE A COMPLETE LEFT REVOLUTION TURN AND HIT THE MOUNTAIN WITH A NORTH EAST HEADING AT A 60 DEGREE LEFT BANK DESCENDING AT A 45 DEGREE ANGLE, 2000 FEET PER MINUTE. THE LEFT WING HIT FIRST AND THE AIRCRAFT SLID ABOUT 50 FEET TO THE BOTTOM OF A RAVINE. UPON INVESTIGATING THE CRASH SITE THE DAMAGE TO THE LEFT PROPELLER INDICATED THAT THE LEFT ENGINE WAS TURNING AT FULL POWER UPON IMPACT.

THE PILOT’S ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^ BECAME CONCERNED AND CALLED WASHINGTON COUNTY PD AT 2035 ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT.  DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SERVICES (DPS) WAS DISPATCHED AND UNABLE TO LOCATE THE AIRCRAFT THE NIGHT OF THE ACCIDENT.  WEATHER WAS REPORTED AS “SOCKED IN”.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS LOCATED THE MORNING OF JANUARY 5TH, AND WAS CONSIDERED DESTROYED WITH NO BURNING.  THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A VERY REMOTE AREA AND DPS WAS UNABLE TO LAND NEAR THE WRECKAGE. FIRST RESPONDERS REPELLED DOWN TO THE SITE FROM THE HELICOPTER AND DETERMINED THE PILOT WAS THE ONLY ONE ON-BOARD AND DECEASED.

## 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 WPR23FA083](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR23FA083), Jan 4, 2023: Piper PA-34-220T (N814WT), New Harmony, UT, destroyed, 1 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot’s decision to continue visual flight rules flight into instrument meteorological conditions, which resulted in a loss of airplane control due to spatial disorientation.

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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