Piper PA-18-150 accident near Smoot, Wyoming, September 19, 1992
On September 19, 1992 at about 1:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18-150, registered N7894P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Smoot, Wyoming. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S DELAYED GO-AROUND. FACTORS CONTRIBUTING TO THE ACCIDENT WERE THE PILOT IN COMMAND'S SELECTION OF UNSUITABLE TERRAIN AND TREES.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 19, 1992 · about 1:30 pm local time
- Place
- Smoot, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18-150 · all PA-18-150s on the register
- Registration
- N7894P · registry record · serial 18-7876
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT IN COMMAND INITIATED AN OFF AIRPORT LANDING ON A RIDGETOP (AGAINST THE WISHES OF THE PASSENGER). THE PASSENGER REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN ON ROUGH TERRAIN, BOUNCED SEVERAL TIMES AND THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS TRAVELLING TOO FAST TO STOP BEFORE STRIKING TREES IN THE LANDING PATH BUT TOO SLOW TO FLY OUT. THE PILOT ADDED FULL POWER AND TURNED THE AIRCRAFT DOWNSLOPE DURING WHICH TIME THE AIRCRAFT'S RIGHT WING IMPACTED A TREE WITH GROUND IMPACT FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER.
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: 530 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 1,625 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: AFO Afton WY at 12:00 pm
- Destination: AFO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:54 pm from JAC, 61 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.