Cessna 172M accident near Pine Bluffs, Wyoming, January 12, 2008
On January 12, 2008 at about 10:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N12606, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Pine Bluffs, Wyoming (Pine Bluffs 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 control of the airplane. Contributing factors in this accident were the unfavorable wind 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
- January 12, 2008 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Pine Bluffs, Wyoming · Pine Bluffs · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N12606 · no longer on the register · serial 17262108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had been practicing touch-and-go landings when "a very large gust of wind blew [him] completely out of control to the point of approaching airborne." The airplane went off the side of the runway and struck a snow bank, resulting in substantial damage.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › (general) › Contributed to outcome
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Snowy/icy › Not specified
- factor Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Snow/ice › Contributed to outcome
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 651 hours in all; 281 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 617 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,828 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection; 180 hours since
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E1D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 82V Pine Bluffs WY at 9:45 pm
- Destination: 82V` Pine Bluffs WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 08, 5,336 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 10 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 9,500 ft
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 3:10 pm from IBM
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight 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.
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.