Cessna T21OL accident near Saratoga, Wyoming, July 4, 1983
On July 4, 1983 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna T21OL, registered N2317S, was substantially damaged in an accident near Saratoga, Wyoming. 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).
Preview. This page is not yet listed for search engines.
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 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 1983 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Saratoga, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T21OL
- Registration
- N2317S · registry record · serial 21OL-61244
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING A SIGHT-SEEING FLT AT APRX 7000 FT MSL (500 FT AGL), THE ENGINE LOST POWER ABOUT 15 MIN AFTER THE PLT SWITCHED FROM THE LEFT TO THE RIGHT MAIN TANK & DESCENDED FROM A HIGHER ALTITUDE. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE PLANE WAS DAMAGED DURING A WHEELS UP LANDING ON HILLY TERRAIN. APRX 18 GAL OF FUEL WAS FOUND REMAINING IN THE RIGHT TANK. NO PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. ALL APPLICABLE AIRWORTHINESS DIRECTIVES & SERVICE BULLETIN WERE COMPLIED WITH.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane single-engine
- Flight time: 7,745 hours in all; 1,429 in this make and model; 62 in the last 90 days; 7,745 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,303 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 1983; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TIO-520 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAA Saratoga WY at 1:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN83LA158.