Cessna 152 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, November 20, 1996
On November 20, 1996 at about 9:03 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4713Q, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salt Lake City, Utah (Salt Lake International airport). It was an instructional 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 student pilot's improper in-flight planning/decision, which allowed his aircraft to encounter wake turbulence from a Lear Jet, and/or the student allowed the aircraft to stall. The crosswind component from the quartering headwind was a possible factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1996 · about 9:03 pm local time
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · Salt Lake International · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4713Q · no longer on the register · serial 15285054
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness observed the airplane a few seconds before it touched down on runway 32. (According to him), the airplane appeared to be in a steep descent, and it hit the runway hard. It bounced about 10 to 15 feet up in the air and came back down, remaining on the ground and rolling forward. To the witness, the airplane appeared to be somewhat nose down, and it rolled a distance before nosing over. The student pilot, who was flying solo, stated that he was cautioned about wake turbulence when he was cleared to land. Radar data showed a Learjet had landed on runway 35, which had a crossing approach path, about 1 minute and 14 seconds before the accident aircraft. (Runway 32 and 35 intersected at the approach ends.) The student pilot said that before landing, the airplane ballooned very slightly, and he re-flared again, then he '. . . was suddenly and very violently blown almost directly sideways . . .' Winds were from 360 degrees at 10 knots before his landing clearance. The student reported that he had 52.9 hours of total time, including 13.1 hours solo time.
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: student
- Flight time: 53 hours in all; 49 in this make and model; 33 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Westflight Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: TVY Tooele UT at 8:30 pm
- Destination: SLC
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 32, 4,758 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:56 pm from SLC
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.