Cessna 175A accident near Enterprise, Utah, May 28, 2023
On May 28, 2023 at about 10:43 pm local time, a 1960 Cessna 175A, registered N5089, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Enterprise, Utah. It was a personal 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s inability to maintain altitude during an initial climbout in mountainous terrain after encountering a suspected downdraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2023 · about 10:43 pm local time
- Place
- Enterprise, Utah · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175A, built 1960 · all 175As on the register
- Registration
- N5089 · registry record · serial 56756
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane departed a private dirt strip in mountainous terrain with a left quartering headwind. During the initial climb, the pilot retracted the flaps from to 20º to 10º to improve the airplane’s acceleration. There was no change in airspeed, so he retracted the flaps completely and the airplane began a descent. He then extended the flaps back to 10º and initiated a shallow right turn to maneuver away from rising terrain, but the airplane did not climb. The pilot applied a nose down attitude to prevent a stall and the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over, in which the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot suspected he had flown into a downdraft after taking off and reported there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during initial climb
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- Loss of lift during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Effect on equipment
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,700 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 1,555 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 16, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,252.1 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 4, 2023
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-360-A1A (piston); 4,252 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: UT91 Enterprise UT at 10:45 pm
- Destination: KVGT Las Vegas NV
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 14 knots, gusting 23
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from KCDC, 35 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KCDC 282253Z AUTO 24014G23KT 10SM CLR 26/M02 A2996 RMK AO2 SLP085 T02561022
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 |
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 docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site 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 WPR23LA204.