Cessna 152 accident near Bountiful, Utah, April 8, 1987
On April 8, 1987, a Cessna 152, registered N4970B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bountiful, Utah (Salt Lake Skypark airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. 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
- April 8, 1987
- Place
- Bountiful, Utah · Salt Lake Skypark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4970B · no longer on the register · serial 15283731
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUD PLT WAS PRACTICING STALLS ABOUT 10 N OF ARPT. DURING RECOVERY FROM A STALL THE ENG BEGAN TO RUN ROUGH. THE PLT SAID HE ADVANCED THROTTLE, APPLIED CARB HEAT, AND TRIED TO ADJUST MIXTURE. THE ENG CONTINUED TO RUN ROUGH AND LOSE PWR AND THE PLT RETURNED TO THE ARPT. THE ACFT WAS AT ABOUT 200 FT UPON ARRIVAL AT THE ARPT AND THE PLT ATTEMPTED TO ALIGN WITH RWY 16, WHICH WAS THE DOWNWIND RWY. UPON APPROACHING RWY 16 THE PLT NOTED ANOTHER ACFT LANDING IN THE OPPOSITE DIRECTION AND TURNED TO PARALLEL THE RWY. THE ACFT CONTINUED TO DESCEND DUE TO LOW PWR AND STALLED AND CRASHED FROM ABOUT 20 FT AGL NEAR MIDFIELD. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THAT THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS NOT IN THE FULL IN POSITION. FURTHER EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE AND A TEST RUN OF THE ENG DID NOT REVEAL EVIDENCE OF A PRE-ACCIDENT MECHANICAL FAILURE OR DEFICIENCY.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 21 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 21 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,048 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 2, 1987; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skypark Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: BTF at 11:50 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
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.