Cessna 172N accident near Hurricane, Utah, July 31, 2004
On July 31, 2004 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5426J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Hurricane, Utah (Hurricane airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during the landing. Contributing factors include the crosswind, the wind gusts, and the exceeded maximum demonstrated crosswind component.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 31, 2004 · about 8:40 pm local time · cases in 2004
- Place
- Hurricane, Utah · Hurricane · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5426J · registry record · serial 5426J
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot said he landed "too fast", "lost control and veered off to the west" side of the runway, substantially damaging the airplane. A post accident examination of the airplane systems revealed no anomalies. The winds were reported as a direct crosswind at 18 knots with gusts to 25 knots. The crosswind component was calculated between 19 and 25 knots. According to the manufacturer's handbook, the maximum demonstrated crosswind component for this airplane is 15 knots.
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 61 hours in all; 61 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 12,723.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 26, 2004; 55.2 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2HD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1L8 Hurricane UT at 7:00 pm
- Destination: 1L8
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 3,410 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 18 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 102°F (39°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.89 inHg
- Observation at 8:35 pm from SGU, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5426J on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 172 Skyhawk 20,687 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,685 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2HD 27,303 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- General Dick Stout Field · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Utah 1,440 since 1982 · 264 in the last ten years
- Utah 8,350 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN04LA114.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.