Cessna 172 accident near Wendover, Utah, June 14, 1997
On June 14, 1997 at about 1:20 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N8776B, was substantially damaged in an accident near Wendover, Utah (Wendover airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Factors include the pilot's improper decision to continue his flight into an area where he had observed thunderstorms, and a thunderstorm outflow which created strong wind gusts that the aircraft encountered during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 14, 1997 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Wendover, Utah · Wendover · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N8776B · no longer on the register · serial 17236476
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While inbound to his destination, the pilot saw that thunderstorms had formed in the general area of the airport. Instead of returning to the point of departure, the pilot elected to continue on to the airport where he had planned to land. By the time he arrived at the airport, the thunderstorms had moved closer to the runway, and strong, gusty winds were being created by the thunderstorm outflow. During the landing roll, the aircraft was hit by a strong quartering tailwind, and the pilot was unable to maintain directional control. During his attempts to keep the aircraft tracking down the runway, the aircraft started sliding sideways, and one wing impacted the runway surface.
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: 50 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: U42 Salt Lake City UT
- Destination: ENV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 8,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 15 knots, gusting 25
- Visibility: 5 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 54°F (12°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 2 |
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.