# NTSB DEN03LA065: Piper PA-32RT-300T, N31998, St. George, UT, April 16, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: April 15, 2003, 19:20 local (Apr 16, 2003, 01:20 UTC) - Place: St. George, UT - Coordinates: 37.091388, -113.592224 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0914&lon=-113.5922&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: No injuries - Injuries: 4 uninjured - Status: Completed, report November 25, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: FAA Flight Standards District Office - NTSB case key (mKey): 56827 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA065 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56827/pdf - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA065 ## 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. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor) - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause) - Airframe/component/system failure/malfunction, landing - flare/touchdown - landing gear,gear locking mechanism - failure,total (cause) ## Analysis The pilot made a normal straight-in approach and "crossed the fence at about 80 to 90 knots." Just before touchdown, the airplane "ballooned" and touched down "a little harder than normal." The nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a halt about 1,300 feet down the runway. The nose landing gear down-lock and an exemplar down-lock were sent to NTSB's materials laboratory for examination. The examination showed the down-lock "contained a fracture that intersected the hook portion." Microscopic examination revealed "a river pattern that pointed to the inner bend area of the hook, indicating that this was the origin of the fracture. The fracture face contained features typical of overstress separation, with no evidence of a preexisting (fatigue) crack. The origin area of the fracture contained no evidence of mechanical or corrosion damage. However, contact wear was noted in the throat of the hook." ## Factual narrative On April 15, 2003, approximately 1920 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-32RT-300T, N31998, owned and operated by the pilot, was substantially damaged during a hard landing at St. George Municipal Airport, Utah. The private pilot, two pilot certificated passengers, and a third passenger were not injured. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan had been filed for the business flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight originated at Long Beach, California, approximately 1720 Pacific daylight time. According to the pilot, he made a normal straight-in approach to runway 34 and "crossed the fence at about 80 to 90 knots." Just before touchdown, the airplane "ballooned" and touched down "a little harder than normal." The nose gear collapsed and the airplane skidded to a halt about 1,300 feet down the runway. The nose landing gear down-lock was removed and, along with an exemplar down-lock, was sent to NTSB's materials laboratory for examination. According to its report, the down-lock "contained a fracture that intersected the hook portion." Microscopic examination revealed "a river pattern that pointed to the inner bend area of the hook, indicating that this was the origin of the fracture. The fracture face contained features typical of overstress separation, with no evidence of a preexisting (fatigue) crack. The origin area of the fracture contained no evidence of mechanical or corrosion damage. However, contact wear was noted in the throat of the hook." ## Aircraft - Registration: [N31998](https://openairdocs.org/aircraft/N31998), registered now, S/N 32R-7887019, built 1978 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Piper PA-32RT-300T - Registry model: [Piper PA-32RT-300T](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-32rt-300t) (registry code 7103216) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming TI0-540 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-ti0-540-series) (registry code 41533, turbo-prop) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane - Serial number: 32R7887019 - Airframe hours: 5802 - Engines: Lycomming TIO-540-S1AD 300 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Substantial damage - Flight: Business, Part 91 - Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal - Last inspection: Annual, January 15, 2003, 71 hours before - Departed: LGB, Long Beach, CA - Destination: SGU, St. George, UT - Airport: SGU, St. George Municipal, runway 34, 6,606 × 100 ft, asphalt ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 56; injuries: none; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review January 26, 2003; seat: left; flight hours: 407 total, 78 in this make and model, 110 in the last 90 days, 7 in the last 24 hours ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 270° at 12 knots - Visibility: 10 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: none - Temperature: 59 °F, dew point 21 °F - Altimeter: 30.00 inHg - Observed at: SGU ## FAA reports on this event (1) The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030415004749A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030415004749A), Apr 15, 2003: Piper PA32RT300T, Saint George, UT, Substantial damage. (-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… ## Other investigations on N31998 (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 WPR25LA183](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR25LA183), Jun 22, 2025: Piper PA-32RT-300T (N31998), Winchester, ID, substantial damage. Probable cause: The pilot’s improper fuel management resulting in fuel starvation, a total loss of engine power, and a subsequent off-airport forced landing. Contributing to the accident was the pilot’s reduced fuel… 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. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.