Cessna 172 accident near Lusk, Wyoming, December 16, 2000
On December 16, 2000, a Cessna 172, registered N4223F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lusk, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's VFR flight into instrument meteorological conditions, and his subsequent failure to maintain terrain clearance, which resulted in an in-flight collision with terrain. Contributing factors were the pilot's failure to obtain a weather briefing, low ceilings, snow, high winds, and dark night light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 16, 2000
- Place
- Lusk, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4223F · no longer on the register · serial 17246123
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The non-instrument rated private pilot did not obtain a weather briefing for the dark night cross-country flight through an area where low ceilings and visibilities were becoming widespread. Air route traffic control center (ARTCC) radar data showed the airplane climbing to 8,000 feet msl toward its destination. Approximately 35 minutes after takeoff, the radar data showed the airplane began to maneuver and descend to 5,900 feet. Approximately 60 minutes after takeoff, the airplane maneuvered to within 3-4 miles of an airport. The last two radar hits showed the airplane making a right turn to the north. The last radar hit was 75 minutes after takeoff, at an altitude of 5,700 feet msl (about 700 feet agl). The airplane impacted rolling terrain at an elevation of 5,100 feet msl about 8.43 nautical miles east-northeast of the airport, which it had been maneuvering near. The emergency locator transmitter (ELT) activated and the local authorities were notified. The airplane wreckage was located the following morning. According to the local sheriff, the weather in the area was blizzard conditions, making it hard even for surface vehicles to maneuver. The wind was gusting to 65 mph, visibility was down to about 1,000 feet, and the ceiling was "very low." No anomalies were found with the airframe or engine that would have prevented normal operation. The pilot's toxicological tests were positive for tetrahydrocannabinol carboxylic acid (marihuana).
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 195 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,439.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 18, 2000; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CPR Casper WY
- Destination: RAP Rapid City SD
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: night
- Wind: from 010° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 0.8 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 800 ft
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.65 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N4223F the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.