Cessna 500 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, April 1, 1996
On April 1, 1996, a Cessna 500, registered N727TK, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake City Intl airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
fatigue failure of the engine compressor impeller. Inadequate quality control by the manufacturer was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 1, 1996
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake City Intl · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 7 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 500 · all 500s on the register
- Registration
- N727TK · no longer on the register · serial 500-0141
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the takeoff ground roll, a loud 'boom' was heard, and the right engine lost power. The pilot aborted the takeoff and immediately brought the thrust lever to idle power. He stated that as the airplane was turning off of the runway onto a taxiway, the right engine 'blew.' The pilot continued to taxi the airplane back to the fixed base operator. After the airplane was secured, the pilot inspected the right engine and found evidence of an uncontained engine failure. Debris from the right engine had punctured the side of the pressure vessel and damaged the wing. Further inspection revealed the engine impeller had broken into two large pieces. A metallurgical examination of the impeller determined that a fatigue crack had originated from the aft face in the area containing a circumferential groove mark that was produced during machining of the aft face prior to blue etch anodizing.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,800 hours in all; 700 in this make and model; 30 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 3,700 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 6,714 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, February 12, 1996; 18 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 11,850 lb
- Seats: 9
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: P&W JT15D-1A (turbofan); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SLC
- Destination: VIS Visalia CA
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 35, 9,596 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 50°F (10°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 5 |
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.
Other NTSB records under N727TK the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.