Cessna T207A accident near Monument Valley, Utah, May 16, 1997
On May 16, 1997 at about 11:30 pm local time, a Cessna T207A, registered N51SA, was substantially damaged in an accident near Monument Valley, Utah (Monument Valley (Private) airport). It was a positioning 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
A horse entering the runway after the aircraft touched down. Factors included no fence installed around part of the airstrip, and remedial action not possible.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 16, 1997 · about 11:30 pm local time
- Place
- Monument Valley, Utah · Monument Valley (Private) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna T207A · all T207As on the register
- Registration
- N51SA · registry record · serial T20700699
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The aircraft was struck by a galloping horse during landing roll. The pilot reported that the runway was clear during his approach, but that he spotted a herd of horses galloping toward the aircraft from the left after an uneventful touchdown. The available remaining runway length and width prevented effective corrective action by the pilot. Despite the pilot's attempt to veer the aircraft clear of the horses, the lead horse struck the aircraft at a full gallop, substantially damaging the aircraft. The privately-owned open-range airstrip, which lies partly on a Navajo Indian reservation, is not fenced on the portion which lies on tribal land, due to tribal restrictions.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,590 hours in all; 57 in this make and model; 94 in the last 90 days; 67 in the last 30 days; 1,230 as pilot in command; 960 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 11,050 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 8, 1997; 16 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,800 lb
- Seats: 7
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental TSIO-520-M7 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: OV7 Kayenta AZ at 11:11 pm
- Destination: 71V
- Runway 16, 4,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
Other NTSB records under N51SA 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.