Cessna 172N accident near Duchesne, Utah, January 22, 1988
On January 22, 1988 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4897G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Duchesne, Utah (Duchesne airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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
- January 22, 1988 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Duchesne, Utah · Duchesne · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4897G · registry record · serial 17273444
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT WAS PERFORMING A CROSS COUNTRY TRAINING FLIGHT. AT HIS FIRST STOP, DURING THE TAKEOFF PORTION OF A TOUCH AND GO LANDING, THE AIRCRAFT SWERVED TO THE LEFT AND STRUCK A THREE FOOT SNOW BANK ON THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. THE PLT REPORTED THAT THE WINDS WERE CALM AND THE RUNWAY WAS SNOW-PACKED.
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: 28 hours in all; 28 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command; 6 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,632 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 1, 1987; 21 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 4VO Rangely CO at 9:20 pm
- Destination: 74V Roosevelt UT
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 5,800 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°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.