Cessna 152 accident near Salt Lake City, Utah, September 7, 2022
On September 7, 2022 at about 9:00 pm local time, a 1979 Cessna 152, registered N48918, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Salt Lake City, Utah (South Valley Rgnl airport). It was an instructional 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 airplane’s encounter with a microburst during initial climb that resulted in a loss of altitude and subsequent collision with a tree.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 7, 2022 · about 9:00 pm local time · cases in 2022
- Place
- Salt Lake City, Utah · South Valley Rgnl · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152, built 1979 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N48918 · registry record · serial 15283389
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that, during an instructional flight with the student pilot at the flight controls, the airplane encountered a microburst during the takeoff climb. The airplane started to descend, he assumed control of the airplane, checked the engine RPM's and throttle. Despite his actions the airplane continued to descend. Unable to maintain altitude, he elected to land on a soccer field. During the landing roll, the right wing impacted a tree that resulted in substantial damage. Witnesses located near the accident location reported that, the accident airplane encountered a “microburst” and “big gust of wind,” and it then began/started to descend toward the ground. One witness stated that it appeared as if the airplane was “…fighting to gain altitude.” A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, the accident flight was captured on airport surveillance camera, and showed the accident airplane take off in a normal climb profile. About 50-100 ft above ground level (agl), the airplane was seen making small abrupt changes in altitude, that the FAA inspector indicated was consistent with a turbulence encounter. As the airplane continued the climb, about 200-300 ft agl, it flew into a wall of vertical dust and appeared to be in a descent. The video showed the airplane as it continued forward in the dust while still in a descent until it was no longer visible in the video frame. Prior to the accident, the airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, at 14:55 local time, the wind was from 160° at 4 knots. Shortly thereafter, the same automated station reported that, at 15:15 local time, the wind was from 110° at 5 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The airplane was taking off from runway 16.
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
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Windshear or thunderstorm during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Microburst › Effect on equipment
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Aircraft capability › Climb capability › Attain/maintain not possible
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 480 hours in all; 167 in the last 90 days; 62 in the last 30 days; 428 as pilot in command; 150 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 13 hours in all; 13 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,394 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 28, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 1,218 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 5,800 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 5 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 97°F (36°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 30.16 inHg
- Observation at 3:15 pm from KU42
Weather report (METAR): KU42 072115Z AUTO 11005G21KT 10SM CLR 36/13 A3016 RMK AO1 T03620125
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
4 documents, released by the NTSB on December 9, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 12 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Airport Camera Statement | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Witness Statements | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N48918 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N48918 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 152 1,636 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,677 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C 84 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Accidents and incidents in Utah 1,440 since 1982 · 263 in the last ten years
- Utah 8,356 aircraft registered
- Other NTSB records under N48918 2 records · the number may have belonged to another aircraft at the time
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/WPR22LA342.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.