Cessna 172XP accident near Tooele, Utah, July 2, 1990
On July 2, 1990 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172XP, registered N736NB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Tooele, Utah (Tooele airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE FLIGHTS ENCOUNTER WITH TURBLENCE ON FINAL WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF CONTROL AND A SUBSEQUENT COLLISION WITH THE GROUND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 2, 1990 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Tooele, Utah · Tooele · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172XP · all 172XPs on the register
- Registration
- N736NB · no longer on the register · serial R1722648
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PILOT WAS LANDING AFTER A CROSS COUNTRY FLIGHT. HE SAID HIS WEATHER BRIEFING SAID TO EXPECT THUNDERSTORMS AND MODERATE TURBULENCE ALONG HIS ROUTE, AND VIRGA IN THE SALT LAKE CITY AREA. AT ONE MILE ON FINAL, THE PLANE A STRONG DOWNDRAFT, FOLLOWED BY AN UPDRAFT. ON SHORT FINAL, THE FLIGHT ENCOUNTERED ANOTHER STRONG DOWNBURST. THE AIRPLANE WAS AT 50 FEET AGL AND THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER TO GO AROUND, BUT WAS UNABLE TO STOP THE DESCENT. THE PLANE STRUCK THE TERRAIN 50 FEET SHORT OF THE RUNWAY, HIT A CROSS DITCH, AND SHEARED THE NOSE GEAR, MAIN GEAR AND BENT THE LEFT WING SPAR.
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: single-engine land
- Flight time: 123 hours in all; 123 in this make and model; 14 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 86 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AKA Rock Springs WY at 7:00 pm
- Destination: US6
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 18, 4,200 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 160° at 30 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 100°F (38°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.