Cessna 172N accident near Provo, Utah, September 14, 1989
On September 14, 1989 at about 2:45 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N75815, was substantially damaged in an accident near Provo, Utah. It was a personal 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 PILOT FAILED TO MAINTAIN THE PROPER GLIDEPATH DURING A PRACTICE INSTRUMENT APPROACH RESULTING IN A COLLISION WITH TERRAIN. CONTRIBUTING FACTOR(S) WAS: THE DARK NIGHT LIGHT CONDITION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 1989 · about 2:45 am local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah
- 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
- N75815 · no longer on the register · serial 17267972
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON-INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT WAS PRACTICING INSTRUMENTS AT NIGHT. HE SAID HE WAS FLYING THE BACK COURSE ILS TO RWY 31. HE DECIDED HE WAS TOO LOW AND ADDED POWER, BUT THE PLANE STRUCK SHALLOW WATER AND MUD AND NOSED OVER.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 788 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 748 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: PVU
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 31, 7,091 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 310° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.