# NTSB DEN81FTM13: Piper PA-28, N47865, Alton, UT, March 26, 1981

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Closed
- Date: March 26, 1981
- Place: Alton, UT · ALTON, UT
- Location: 37.4265° N, 112.5104° W: Placed by OpenAirDocs: center of Alton, UT, within about 6 miles (OpenAirDocs)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.4265&lon=-112.5104&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Approach](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/500) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Minor injuries
- Injuries: 1 minor
- Status: Completed, report August 28, 1981
- Report: Brief approved by the director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 126627
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN81FTM13
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN81FTM13

## NTSB brief

```
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
 FILE    DATE          LOCATION          AIRCRAFT DATA       INJURIES       FLIGHT                        PILOT DATA
                                                               F  S M/N     PURPOSE
----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
3-3357  81/3/26  NR.ALTON,UT           PIPER PA-28         CR-  0  0  1  COMMERCIAL                COMMERCIAL, AGE 32, 899
        TIME - 1450                    N47865              PX-  0  0  0  AIR TAXI-CARGO            TOTAL HOURS, 218 IN TYPE,
                                       DAMAGE-DESTROYED    OT-  0  0  0                            INSTRUMENT RATED.
        DEPARTURE POINT             INTENDED DESTINATION
          KANAB,UT                    PANGUITCH,UT
        TYPE OF ACCIDENT                                         PHASE OF OPERATION
           COLLIDED WITH: TREES                                     LANDING: GO-AROUND
        PROBABLE CAUSE(S)
           PILOT IN COMMAND - CONTINUED VFR FLIGHT INTO ADVERSE WEATHER CONDITIONS
        FACTOR(S)
           WEATHER - LOW CEILING
           WEATHER - SNOW
           WEATHER - HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE
        WEATHER BRIEFING - BRIEFED BY FLIGHT SERVICE PERSONNEL, BY PHONE
        EMERGENCY CIRCUMSTANCES - PRECAUTIONARY LANDING OFF AIRPORT
                                  ADVERSE/UNFAVORABLE WEATHER
        SKY CONDITION                                            CEILING AT ACCIDENT SITE
          OVERCAST                                                  1000
        VISIBILITY AT ACCIDENT SITE                              PRECIPITATION AT ACCIDENT SITE
          ZERO                                                     SNOW
        OBSTRUCTIONS TO VISION AT ACCIDENT SITE                  TEMPERATURE-F
          BLOWING SNOW                                              33
        WIND DIRECTION-DEGREES                                   WIND VELOCITY-KNOTS
          180                                                       10
        TYPE OF WEATHER CONDITIONS                               TYPE OF FLIGHT PLAN
          IFR                                                      OTHER
        REMARKS- ENCTRD 0 VSBY/SNW DRG PRCTNRY LNDG.UN CLR TRRN/TREES DRG GO-ARND/CLB W CARB HEAT OFF.ELEV 7600FT.
```

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N47865](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N47865-1981-12-23), registration cancelled 1981-12-23, S/N 28-7816148 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-161](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-161) (registry code 7102803) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Engines: reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed

## 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 19810326014909A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19810326014909A), Mar 26, 1981: Piper PA28161, Alton, UT, Destroyed. Encountered near zero IMC in heavy snow-showers. Crashed into trees in mountain terrain. VFR not recommended.

## Other investigations on N47865 (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 DEN78FTM12](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN78FTM12), Feb 12, 1978: Piper PA-28 (N47865), Provo, UT, substantial damage

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.