Textron Aviation INC 172S accident near Provo, Utah, August 7, 2026
On August 7, 2026 at about 9:49 pm local time, a 2018 Textron Aviation INC 172S, registered N1842E, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Provo, Utah (Provo Muni airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 7, 2026 · about 9:49 pm local time
- Place
- Provo, Utah · Provo Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed and 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Textron Aviation INC 172S, built 2018
- Registration
- N1842E · registry record · serial 172S12176
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On August 7, 2026, about 1549 mountain daylight time, a Textron Aviation Inc. 172S, N1842E, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Provo, Utah. The flight instructor sustained serious injuries, and the pilot undergoing instruction was fatally injured. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 instructional flight. The flight was operated by ATP Flight School under the callsign Career Track (CXK) 138 and was intended to provide preparation for the pilot undergoing instruction’s upcoming instrument checkride. The airplane was scheduled to depart for the practice area south of the airport via the “Golf Course” departure, a route that would have initially taken the airplane east over Provo Bay. Preliminary air traffic control audio indicated that multiple aircraft operating in the vicinity of Provo Municipal Airport (PVU) in the period before the accident reported moderate to severe turbulence. One of those airplanes, which was also operated by ATP, reported descent rates exceeding 1,000 ft per minute while approaching Bird Island, a reporting point in Utah Lake about 5 miles southwest of the airport. At about 1546, the accident airplane was cleared for takeoff from runway 18. ADS-B data showed that the airplane began a climbing left turn to the southeast with a groundspeed that varied between 68 and 75 knots. A few seconds later, the airplane began a rapid descent, accelerating to a groundspeed of about 96 knots before the last ADS-B target was recorded approximately 160 ft above the water, and 350 ft short of the accident site. Figure 1 – ADS-B track Security camera footage from multiple buildings located on the east side of the airport, facing west and south-southwest, showed several areas of tall dust formations moving through the surface area along and south of the airport during the time preceding the accident. One dust formation appeared to move across the departure end of runway 18 as the airplane entered the video frame in the upper-right portion of one of the cameras. A few seconds later, the airplane began to descend, and a splash was observed about 30 seconds later as the airplane impacted the water. The airplane came to rest in marshland within Provo Bay, about 6,000 ft south-southeast of the departure end of runway 18. The main wreckage was semi-submerged in about 18 inches of water and resting on soft mud. The debris field extended about 100 ft in length. The first identified point of impact was the nose landing gear assembly, which had separated from the airframe. The remaining wreckage was concentrated to the east of that location. The forward cabin section, engine, and both wings were submerged, with a section of a propeller blade tip visible above the water. The wreckage was recovered for further examination.
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
- Windshear or thunderstorm during initial climb defining event
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Operator: Atp Aircraft
The flight
- Departed from: PVU Provo UT at 9:47 pm
- Runway 13/3, 8,603 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 9 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 3:50 pm from KPVU, 2 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KPVU 072150Z 24009G18KT 10SM CLR 34/14 A3014 4290 30 7400 230/09G18 RMK AO2 SLP143 T03390144
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check 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 WPR26FA294.