# NTSB DEN86LA217: Piper PA-28-181, N8272Y, Monument Valley, UT, July 30, 1986

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · No injuries · Limited investigation · Final report
- Date: July 30, 1986, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place: Monument Valley, UT
- Coordinates: 37.079635, -110.250053 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0796&lon=-110.2501&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: No injuries
- Injuries: 3 uninjured
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 17025
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN86LA217
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/17025/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN86LA217

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- Hard landing, landing - flare/touchdown
  - weather condition - high density altitude (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - unfavorable wind (contributing factor)
  - flare - improper, pilot in command (cause)
- Main gear collapsed, landing - flare/touchdown
  - landing gear,main gear - overload

## Analysis

THE PLT WAS LANDING ON A 3100 FT DIRT RWY, AT AN ARPT WITH MTNS NEARBY. HE SAID THAT JUST BEFORE LANDING, THE ACFT ENCOUNTERED A DOWNDRAFT AT ABOUT 100 FT AGL & 'THE BOTTOM FELL OUT.'  SUBSEQUENTLY, THE ACFT LANDED HARD & THE RGT MAIN LNDG GEAR FAILED. THERE WAS NO WX RPRTG FACILITY AT THE ARPT. THE PLT RPRTD THE WIND WAS LIGHT & THE TEMP WAS APRX 75 DEG AT THE TIME OF THE ACDNT. THE ARPT ELEV WAS 5192 FT.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N8272Y](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N8272Y-1991-12-09), registration cancelled 1991-12-09, S/N 288190045 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: PIPER PA-28-181
- Registry model: [Piper PA-28-181](https://openairdocs.org/model/piper-pa-28-181) (registry code 7102807) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: 288190045
- Engines: LYCOMING O-360 180 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Flight: Personal, Part 91
- Operator: Sudon Corp., doing business as Golden Gate Aviation
- Registered owner: Lewis J. Rattner
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, March 13, 1986
- Departed: PGS, PAGE, AZ
- Flight plan: VFR
- Airport: 71V, Monument Valley, runway 16, 3,100 × 75 ft, dirt

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 59; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; seat: left; flight hours: 1,687 total, 157 in this make and model, 1,615 as pilot in command, 44 in the last 90 days, 6 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling: none
- Temperature: 75 °F

## 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 19860730036639A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19860730036639A), Jul 30, 1986: Piper PA28181, Monument Valley, UT, Substantial damage. The aircraft landed hard during a precautionary landind due to sick passenger. Pilot reported a downdraft on final.

## Other investigations on N8272Y (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 LAX91FA399](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/LAX91FA399), Sep 21, 1991: Piper PA-28-181 (N8272Y), Cupertino, CA, destroyed, 2 fatal. Probable cause: THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER ALTITUDE, HIS IMPROPER INFLIGHT DECISION TO ATTEMPT FLIGHT BELOW THE BASE OF AN OVERCAST LAYER OF CLOUDS TOWARD RISING MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AND THE FLIGHT'S…

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.