Aviat A-1A accident near Afton, Wyoming, February 11, 2002
On February 11, 2002 at about 8:10 pm local time, a Aviat A-1A, registered N29HU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Afton, Wyoming (Afton Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control, which resulted in a collision with a snow bank. Contributing factors were the icy runway and the snow bank.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 11, 2002 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Afton, Wyoming · Afton Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Aviat A-1A
- Registration
- N29HU · registry record · serial 1381
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he intentionally landed the airplane slightly right of centerline to avoid a strip of ice on the runway. When the airplane touched down, it started to veer to the right. The pilot corrected by applying left rudder, but "action was not normal." He said his "left foot did not feel positioned right." He then adjusted the positioning of his foot on the rudder pedal. At this point the aircraft was getting close to the east side of the runway, and he corrected back towards the centerline. The right elevator struck a snow bank, and the airplane veered sharply to the right, hit the snow bank and nosed down.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 6,900 hours in all; 332 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 in the last 30 days; 6,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: September 26, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 985 hours in all
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 264 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 11, 2001; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,890 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1P (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AFO Afton WY at 7:40 pm
- Destination: AFO Afton WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway AFO, 5,220 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 36°F (2°C), dew point 14°F (-10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.21 inHg
- Observation at 8:55 pm from JAC, 62 miles away
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 N29HU 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.