Pilot Debrief

PIPER PA-28-140 near West Valley City, UT — 2026-03-21

Investigation ongoingWPR26LA132
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Date
2026-03-21
Location
West Valley City, UT, USA
Aircraft
PIPER PA-28-140
Registration
N7328J
Category
Airplane
Highest injury
None
Fatalities
0

Probable cause

NTSB has not published a probable cause for this accident yet. Preliminary reports describe what happened; the cause is determined later, often 12–24 months after the event.

NTSB narrative

On March 21, 2026, about 1610 mountain daylight time, a Piper PA-28-140, N7328J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near West Valley City, Utah. The pilot and passenger were not injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight. The pilot reported that they departed from the South Valley Regional Airport, Salt Lake City, Utah (SVR) for a local flight. While returning to the departure airport, at an altitude of about 5,800 ft mean sea level (msl), the engine experienced a partial loss of power. He utilized the airplane checklist to troubleshoot the loss of engine power, however, was unable to restore engine power. Unable to maintain altitude, he elected to make an off-airport landing on an open dirt field. During the landing roll, the airplane encountered rough terrain, the nose and right landing gear collapsed, and the airplane’s right wing impacted the dirt surface. Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the right wing and aileron were substantially damaged. The wreckage was recovered for further examination.

Preliminary NTSB coding

  • Loss of engine power (partial) · Enroute
  • Engine Failure Enroute
View NTSB preliminary report

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