Cessna 172 accident near Afton, WY
On August 13, 2018, a Cessna 172 (airplane) was involved in an accident near Afton, WY. 3 people were seriously injured. Damage to the aircraft: substantial.
- Date
- August 13, 2018
- Place
- Afton, WY
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · Airplane
- Injuries
- 0 fatal, 3 serious, 0 minor
- Damage
- Substantial
- Position
- 42.720°N, 110.933°W
- NTSB ID
- 20180827X22227
Official records · WPR18LA241
- Public docket: reports, statements and exhibits from the investigation
NTSB summary
On August 13, 2018, about 0908 mountain daylight time, a Cessna 172N airplane, N5660J, was substantially damaged when it was involved in an accident near Afton, Wyoming. The airline transport pilot and two passengers sustained serious injuries. The airplane was operated as a Title 14 Code of Federal Regulations Part 91 local aerial observation flight. According to the pilot, while conducting aerial observation of markers for a local mine in a valley next to mountainous terrain, he experienced downdrafts and the airplane lost altitude. In an attempt to exit from the high terrain, the pilot performed a 180° left turn with about 45° of bank. However, after completing the turn, the airplane's stall horn began to sound. The airplane was unable to climb over terrain and struck several trees and subsequently impacted terrain, which resulted in substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. The pilot reported no preaccident anomalies with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The airplane wreckage was recovered at an elevation of about 6,750 ft msl in heavily forested terrain. Using the environmental factors at the accident site, the density altitude was calculated to be about 8,765 ft msl. Additionally, aircraft performance charts indicated the airplane would have had a climb rate of about 300 ft per minute under the conditions at the accident site. Review of the weight and balance form provided by the pilot revealed that the airplane was operated at a gross weight of 2,294 pounds at takeoff, under the maximum gross takeoff weight of 2,550 pounds. The center of g
Probable cause
The pilot’s failure to maintain terrain clearance after an encounter with a downdraft while maneuvering in a valley with a high-density altitude, which resulted in impact with trees and terrain.
More accidents in WY
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Browse: Wyoming · Cessna aircraft
Source: NTSB aviation accident database (US government, public domain). Findings may be preliminary or later revised by the NTSB. Not a complete global record.
