Cessna 162 accident near Rawlings, Wyoming, August 1, 2011
On August 1, 2011 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 162, registered N7024V, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Rawlings, Wyoming (Rawlins Muni/Harvey Field). 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's decision to attempt a takeoff at a density altitude that was outside the performance envelope of the airplane. Also causal was the flight's likely encounter with a sudden tailwind gust.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 1, 2011 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Rawlings, Wyoming · Rawlins Muni/Harvey Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 162 · all 162s on the register
- Registration
- N7024V · no longer on the register · serial 16200066
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that prior to takeoff, he noted an approaching storm but estimated that the wind was light and variable for the takeoff roll. The airplane was slow to accelerate and reached the 50 knot rotation speed halfway down the runway. The pilot stated that the airplane lifted off and maintained an altitude a few feet above the runway, but lost altitude at the end. The airplane struck the ground and subsequently nosed over, coming to rest inverted. A few minutes after the accident, the pilot reported that it began to rain. The airport density altitude at the time of the accident was calculated to be approximately 9,000 feet, which is 1,000 feet above the manufacturer's recommended maximum takeoff altitude as outlined in the Pilot's Operating Handbook. The weather observation facility located on the field reported that 3 minutes before the accident the wind was a left quartering tailwind at 5 knots, while shortly after the accident the wind was a left quartering tailwind at 22 knots, gusting to 32 knots with respect to the airplane's takeoff runway direction. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal flight.
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
What happened, in order
- Preflight or dispatch event during prior to flight
- Windshear or thunderstorm during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › High density altitude › Effect on operation
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › (general) › Capability exceeded
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Use of manual › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: sport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 5,994 hours in all; 76 in this make and model; 80 in the last 90 days; 31 in the last 30 days; 700 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 22, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 85 hours
- Last inspection: approved inspection programme, May 16, 2011; 79 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: The Jerome L. Quint Living Trust
The flight
- Departed from: KRWL Rawlings WY at 9:45 pm
- Destination: KEVW Burns Field WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10L, 4,118 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 22 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 9 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.23 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 pm from KRWL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.