Cessna 140 accident near Harmony, Wyoming, July 3, 2024
On July 3, 2024 at about 3:00 pm local time, a 1947 Cessna 140, registered N3043S, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Harmony, Wyoming. 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A total loss of engine power as a result of the pilot's inadvertent placement of the fuel selector to the "off" position.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2024 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Harmony, Wyoming · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 140, built 1947 · all 140s on the register
- Registration
- N3043S · registry record · serial 12709
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the airplane reported that, while maneuvering about 300 ft above ground level, he chose to switch the fuel selector from one tank to the other, and inadvertently switched it to the off position. Subsequently, the engine lost total power. The pilot performed a forced landing onto rough terrain, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage, wings, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane 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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
- Off-field or emergency landing during maneuvering (low-alt flying)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action performance › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Fuel system › Fuel selector/shutoff valve › Incorrect use/operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 725 hours in all; 400 in this make and model; 16 in the last 90 days; 9 in the last 30 days; 587 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 25, 2024
- Medical certificate: BasicMed (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,871 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 1, 2024
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-200-A (piston); 6,879 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KLAR Laramie WY at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 190° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from KLAR, 9 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KLAR 031453Z AUTO 19005KT 10SM CLR 18/01 A3020 RMK AO2 SLP119 T01780006 50002
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on February 12, 2025. 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, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photo Array | PDF, 4 pages | 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 N3043S the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.