Cessna 162 accident near Vernal, Utah, July 29, 2019
On July 29, 2019 at about 12:32 pm local time, a 2011 Cessna 162, registered N30321, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Vernal, Utah (Vernal Regional Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The flight instructor's abrupt maneuver at an altitude too low for recovery, which resulted in impact with the runway.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 29, 2019 · about 12:32 pm local time
- Place
- Vernal, Utah · Vernal Regional Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 162, built 2011 · all 162s on the register
- Registration
- N30321 · no longer on the register · serial 16200102
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor stated that he was demonstrating a soft field takeoff for the student pilot. While climbing away from the runway at best angle of climb, he saw a gray streak out of the corner of his eye and “immediately pitched up to avoid a wildlife strike.” The engine lost power and the pilot quickly pitched forward to lower the angle of attack; he did not recall anything further. The student reported that the airplane lifted off the runway and increased speed close to the ground when the flight instructor pulled the control stick back abruptly and the airplane climbed at an extreme angle of attack. After a few seconds of going straight up, it felt as if the airplane stalled; however, the stall warning horn never sounded. The flight instructor then pushed the nose down. As they rapidly approached the ground, the flight instructor pulled up, but the airplane impacted the ground and bounced before it came to rest. An on-scene examination revealed propeller striations on the runway surface and no indications of a birdstrike on the airframe or runway. Two different types of bird feathers were found near the runway shortly after the accident, but they were dry and likely present prior to the accident. A postaccident airframe and engine examination did not reveal any anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Damage to the propeller blades and the striations on the runway were consistent with the engine producing power at the time of impact. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the flight instructor’s abrupt maneuvering of the airplane at an altitude too low to recover and subsequent impact with the runway.
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
- Abrupt maneuver during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
- Attempted remediation/recovery during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Instructor/check pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,750 hours in all; 300 in this make and model; 50 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,650 as pilot in command; 50 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 15, 2018
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: serious injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 58 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 22 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,053 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 26, 2019; 66 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental Motors O-200D (piston); 948 hours total
- Operator: H & H Versatile Services Inc
The flight
- Departed from: VEL Vernal UT at 12:30 pm
- Destination: VEL Vernal UT
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 7,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KVEL
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 WPR19LA204.