Cessna 172N accident near Delta, Utah, February 21, 1997
On February 21, 1997 at about 10:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5552E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Delta, Utah (Delta Municipal Airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the prevailing wind conditions, and his subsequent failure to maintain directional control during the landing roll. Factors contributing to the accident are a sudden shift in the prevailing wind at the time of the landing, and the presence of a mound of dirt near the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 21, 1997 · about 10:05 pm local time
- Place
- Delta, Utah · Delta Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5552E · registry record · serial 17271887
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The private pilot stated that he overflew the airport, observed the wind sock, and listened to the airport's recorded weather information immediately prior to landing. The wind sock and weather recording indicated calm winds. Upon touchdown onto the runway, the airplane encountered a sudden, gusty, quartering tail wind. The airplane then veered off the east side of the runway and into a mound of dirt, despite the pilot's attempts to maintain directional control. The nose gear was sheered off and the airplane flipped over, damaging both wing struts. The pilot stated that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions.
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: 130 hours in all; 6 in this make and model; 130 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,411 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 3, 1996; 47 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Utah Valley Aviation
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 9:00 pm
- Destination: DTA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,011 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 355° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 16,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Observation at 10:30 pm from U24
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Other NTSB records under N5552E the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number SEA97LA060.