Cessna 172N accident near West Jordan, Utah, February 16, 1999
On February 16, 1999 at about 10:55 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N734BE, was substantially damaged in an accident near West Jordan, Utah (Salt Lake City Muni 2 airport). 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's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft. Factors were his lack of recent flight experience, and his lack of experience in the make and model of aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 16, 1999 · about 10:55 pm local time
- Place
- West Jordan, Utah · Salt Lake City Muni 2 · 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
- N734BE · no longer on the register · serial 17268719
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot had completed three full stop landings. During his fourth landing, he was attempting to perform a touch and go. As he was preparing for takeoff, he 'lost control' of the aircraft. The airplane departed the left side of the runway and nosed over. At the time of the accident, the pilot had flown two hours in the past 90 days, and had accumulated a total of two hours in the make and model of the accident aircraft. The wind at the airport was reported to be from 260 degrees at 5 knots.
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: 89 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 2 in the last 90 days; 28 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,984 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 12, 1999; 24 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Great Western Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: U42 at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 5,860 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 20,000 ft; scat at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:56 pm from SLC, 11 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.