Cessna 172 accident near Cheyenne, Wyoming, January 2, 1989
On January 2, 1989 at about 10:45 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N4440L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cheyenne, Wyoming (Cheyenne airport). It was a business 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
IMPROPER PLANNING/DECISION BY THE PILOT. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE HIGH WIND AND GUSTS, WHICH HE WAS UNABLE TO COMPENSATE FOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 2, 1989 · about 10:45 pm local time
- Place
- Cheyenne, Wyoming · Cheyenne
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4440L · registry record · serial 17254532
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ATP RATED PLT WAS TAXIING THE ACFT ON TAXIWAY 'B' TO RWY 26 FOR TAKEOFF. HE REPORTED THAT AS HE WAS TAXIING, A GUST LIFTED THE ACFT'S TAIL. THE ACFT THEN NOSED OVER & CAME TO REST INVERTED. THE PLT REPORTED THE WIND WAS FROM 250 DEG WITH GUSTS TO 45 KTS. DURING THE 1516 MST WX OBSERVATION, THE WIND WAS FROM 280 DEG AT 30 GUSTING 45 KTS.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,103 hours in all; 1,700 in this make and model; 188 in the last 90 days; 40 in the last 30 days; 5,033 as pilot in command; 3,035 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,693 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1988; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: Greeley CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 9,199 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 30 knots, gusting 45
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:16 pm from CYS, 1 miles away
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.