Cessna 172F accident near Escalante, Utah, May 8, 1983
On May 8, 1983 at about 11:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N5501R, was substantially damaged in an accident near Escalante, Utah (Escalante airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1983 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Escalante, Utah · Escalante · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N5501R · no longer on the register · serial 17253071
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH THE TERRAIN AND NOSED OVER OFF THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY DURING TAKEOFF. THE RUNWAY IN USE WAS 12 AND THE WIND WAS FROM 180 DEGREES AT 5 KTS GUSTING TO 15 KTS. THE RUNWAY IS 5000 FEET LONG AND 60 FEET WIDE. THE FIELD ELEVATION IS 5740 FEET AND THE TEMPERATURE WAS 70 DEGREES F. THE DENSITY ALT. WAS ABOUT 7500 FEET. THE ACFT WING TANKS WERE FULL AND THERE WERE 4 PERSONS ON BOARD. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ACFT SKIPPED TO THE LEFT JUST PRIOR TO TAKEOFF AND THEN WOULD NOT CLIMB OVER 50 FEET. HE COULD NOT GET THE ACFT BACK OVER THE RUNWAY. THE STALL WARNING SOUNDEDSO HE PUT THE WHEEL FORWARD AND THE PLANE TOUCHED THE END OF THE RUNWAY, SKIPPED OVER A GULLY AND HIT ON THE WHEELS ON THE SIDE OF A HILL ABOUT 200 OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY. THE NOSE GEAR DUG INTO THE SOFT DIRT AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER. NOONE WAS INJURED.
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
- Flight time: 813 hours in all; 682 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 682 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,400 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 26, 1982
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: SAF Santa Fe NM
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 12, 5,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 5 knots, gusting 15
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.