Cessna 172G accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, January 10, 1995
On January 10, 1995 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N3708L, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake No. 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 INADEQUATE COMPENSATION FOR WIND CONDITIONS DURING RUNUP. THE UNFAVORABLE WIND WAS A FACTOR.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 10, 1995 · about 8:00 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake No. 2 · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N3708L · no longer on the register · serial 17253877
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED THAT WHILE PERFORMING AN ENGINE RUNUP WITH THE NOSE OF THE AIRCRAFT INTO THE PREVAILING WINDS, THE TAIL OF THE AIRCRAFT WAS LIFTED BY THE WIND. THE AIRCRAFT PIVOTED ON THE NOSE GEAR WITH THE MAIN WHEELS OFF THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT WAS IN A VERTICAL POSITION FOR A FEW SECONDS WITH THE TAIL STRAIGHT UP, THEN THE WIND MOVED THE AIRCRAFT 25 FEET OFF TO THE LEFT OF THE TAXIWAY. THE LEFT WING TIP CONTACTED THE GROUND AND THE AIRCRAFT PIVOTED UPON THE WING COMING TO REST ON ITS BACK. WINDS AT THE TIME WERE REPORTED TO BE 20 KNOTS GUSTING TO 29 KNOTS FROM 180 DEGREES MAGNETIC.
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,245 hours in all; 1,000 in this make and model; 8 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 686 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,017 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, December 15, 1995; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U42
- Destination: SLC UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 29
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 6,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:50 pm from SLC, 10 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.