20231001016239A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Piper PA-28-140 · Moab, UT · October 1, 2023

Date: October 1, 2023 · 20:22 local
Place: Moab, UT
Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N7153R
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR24FA002
Reported as: Piper PA-28-140
Reported engine: Lycoming 0-320 series
People aboard: 4
Fatal injuries: 4
Other injuries: 0
Pilot’s certificates: Commercial pilot, student
Pilot’s flight hours: 273 in this make and model109 in the last 90 days

N7153RRegistration cancelled Apr 15, 2025 · Piper PA-28-140S/N 28-21860 · Built 1966 Airframe modelPiper PA-28-140 Engine modelLycoming 0-320 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

The pilot taxied from parking to departed from runway 21 at 2022 local time. The pilot did not use pilot controlled lighting for the runway. After takeoff from runway 21 the pilot turned on a right crosswind and downwind for departure to the northeast. While on downwind approximately abeam the departure end of runway 21 the aircraft impacted the crown of a hill that is approximately 100' above the runway elevation. The aircraft nose gear separated from the aircraft at this location and the aircraft became airborne for approximately 350' where it impacted the ground nose first, spun 180 degrees sliding to rest oriented downhill and 180 degrees from the flight direction.

As the FAA filed it

THE PILOT TAXIED FROM PARKING TO DEPARTED FROM RUNWAY 21 AT 2022 LOCAL TIME. THE PILOT DID NOT USE PILOT CONTROLLED LIGHTING FOR THE RUNWAY. AFTER TAKEOFF FROM RUNWAY 21 THE PILOT TURNED ON A RIGHT CROSSWIND AND DOWNWIND FOR DEPARTURE TO THE NORTHEAST. WHILE ON DOWNWIND APPROXIMATELY ABEAM THE DEPARTURE END OF RUNWAY 21 THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED THE CROWN OF A HILL THAT IS APPROXIMATELY 100' ABOVE THE RUNWAY ELEVATION. THE AIRCRAFT NOSE GEAR SEPARATED FROM THE AIRCRAFT AT THIS LOCATION AND THE AIRCRAFT BECAME AIRBORNE FOR APPROXIMATELY 350' WHERE IT IMPACTED THE GROUND NOSE FIRST, SPUN 180 DEGREES SLIDING TO REST ORIENTED DOWNHILL AND 180 DEGREES FROM THE FLIGHT DIRECTION.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR24FA002Accident · 4 fatalClass 3 · FieldFinal reportMoab, UTThe pilot’s loss of visual reference to the horizon while departing during dark night, which resulted in the pilot experiencing spatial disorientation and subsequent controlled flight into terrain.Oct 2, 2023 · Substantial damage

Other reports on N7153R · 1

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

Accident 19810523028909AFinal Approach · Lawrenceville, VALanded 30 feet short of runway. Severed landing gear on uneven ground.May 23, 1981 · Substantial damage