N1147XPiper PA-28R-200 · 1975

On August 31, 2025, about 1720, mountain daylight time a Piper PA28-200R, N1147X, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Alta, Utah. The pilot was seriously injured, and the passenger sustained fatal injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 personal flight.

Preliminary ADS-B data indicated that after departure from Bolinder Field/Tooele Valley Airport (TVY), the airplane initiated a climbing right turn to the northeast. After receiving a clearance from the Salt Lake Terminal Radar Approach Control (TRACON), the airplane followed the Salt Lake City I-80 VFR Transition route east towards Salt Lake International Airport, then to the south at altitude of about 6,600 ft. By 1711, the airplane had completed the transition, and was on a southbound track, as it approached South Jordan, Utah. About that time, the airplane began a climbing left turn to the east, towards the entrance of Little Cottonwood Canyon.

The last ADS-B target indicated the airplane was climbing at a rate of about 380 fpm, and was at an altitude of 8,400 ft by the time it had reached the entrance of the canyon. At that time the canyon walls were about 1.3 miles apart, with terrain immediately rising to 11,330 ft to the north, and 11,253 ft to the south.

A short time later, witnesses located at a lodge at an elevation of about 8,600 ft and about 6 miles further up the canyon, observed an airplane flying up the canyon and directly over their location. One witness, who was a pilot, stated that he estimated the airplane to be about 100 to 200 ft above him, and flying so low that he was immediately concerned. He could hear the engine operating as it continued towards the end of the canyon, which was about 2 miles beyond their location.

Another witness, located in a south facing residence within the canyon at an elevation of about 9,100 ft, and 3/4 miles past the lodge, was resting on his deck when he was woken by a loud engine sound. When he looked across the valley, he could see an airplane traveling right to left, and almost level with his position. He could hear the engine operating, and the wings were rocking. He stated that the airplane continued up the valley and started to make a gradual left turn, that suddenly became aggressive such that he could see the entire overhead profile of the airplane. The airplane’s nose then dropped, and it collided with the ground in an area of trees on the north face of the valley.

The airplane impacted terrain within a bowl-shaped area at the end of the canyon. The first point of impact was identified on the trunk at the base of a 4-ft wide pine tree at an elevation of about 9,060 ft. The bark on the southeast side of the trunk had been removed, leaving a series of three scallop-shaped marks that appeared to match the shape of the three propeller blades.

The airframe came to rest about 70 ft uphill from the tree impact point. Fragments of the right outboard wing and aileron were located at the base of the tree. The debris field continued uphill where the inboard wing and integral fuel tank, along with the right flap were located. The tank was breached, with semi-circular crush damage to the main spar, that matched the general shape of the tree trunk at the initial impact point.

The main wreckage was composed of the detached forward cabin and instrument panel, along with the main cabin, empennage, and left wing, all of which remained generally intact. The engine had detached from the airframe during the accident sequence and was located about 30 ft uphill from the main wreckage.

The airplane has been retained for further examination.