Cessna 172RG accident near Evanston, Wyoming, July 30, 1985
On July 30, 1985 at about 7:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9455D, was destroyed in an accident near Evanston, Wyoming (Evanston 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 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
- July 30, 1985 · about 7:55 pm local time
- Place
- Evanston, Wyoming · Evanston · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9455D · no longer on the register · serial 1170
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT LOST DIRESTIONAL CONTROL OF THE ACFT WHILE ATTEMPTING TO LAND IN GUSTY X-WIND CONDITIONS. THE ACFT WAS DESTROYEDWHEN IT IMPACTED TERRAIN IN A 50 FT DEEP RAVINE.
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
- Ratings: instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,076 hours in all; 720 in this make and model; 105 in the last 90 days; 47 in the last 30 days; 1,015 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 214 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 24, 1985; 214 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 4:40 pm
- Destination: PVU Provo UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 23, 7,300 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 7,000 ft; not recorded at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:00 pm from EVW
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.
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.