# Accident 20120526010369A: Cessna 172S, St George, UT, May 26, 2012

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: May 26, 2012, 01:20 local time
- Place: St George, UT
- Damage: Destroyed
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.0200° N, 113.5172° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.0200&lon=-113.5172&mi=10
- Aircraft: N953SP, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N953SP-2013-09-13) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Cessna 172S (registry code 2072439, https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-172s) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Lycoming I0360 series (registry code 41515, https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-i0360-series) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA 172S
- Reported engine: LYCOMING I0360 SER
- People aboard: 4
- Fatal injuries: 4
- Other injuries: 0
- Pilot certificates: Commercial pilot
- Pilot flight hours: 3,000 total
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB WPR12FA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA230) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20120526010369A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

THE PILOT AND 3 NON-RATED FRIENDS DEPARTED KSGU AT APPROXIMATLEY 01:15 TO 01:20 MDT.  THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO REMAIN LOW TO THE RUNWAY 19 UNTIL NEAR THE END.  SURVEILLANCE CAMERAS SHOWED THE NAV LIGHTS BLINKING AT A CONSTANT ALTITUDE FOR BASICALLY THE LENGTH OF RWY19 THEN THERE APPEARS TO BE AN ABRUPT VERTICAL CLIMB.  THE AIRCRAFT DISAPPEARS FROM VIEW FOR A FEW SECONDS AND THEN IT CATCHES ONE FLASH OF A NAV LIGHT APPEARING TO COMING DOWN VERTICAL.  THE WRECKAGE WAS NOT DISCOVERED UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 05:30 MDT BY AIRPORT SECURITY.  THE IMPACT AREA WAS APPROXIMATELTY A FEW HUNDRED FEET PAST THE END OF THE PAVED RWY AND BASICALLY ON AN EXTENDED RWY CENTERLINE.  THE WRECKAGE AND IMPACT MARKS INDICATED A VERTICAL NOSE DOWN IMPACT.  THE PILOT AND 3 PASSENGERS WERE FATAL.THERE WAS NO FLIGHT PLAN FILED AND NO UNICOM OR ATC RECORDINGS WERE DISCOVERED.A THROUGH RECONSTRUCTION OF THE USE OF THE AIRCRAFT AND THE FUEL ON-BOARD INDICATED 30 TO 35 GALS ON-BOARD.  THE COMBINED WEIGHT OF THE 4 OCCUPANTS AND THE FUEL ON-BOARD INDICATED THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATLEY 160 TO 165 LBS OVER THE APPROVED GROSS WEIGHT OF 2,550 LBS.A THROUGH INSPECTION OF THE WRECKAGE DID NOT REVEAL ANY MECHANICAL FAILURE OR CONTROL ISSUES.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB WPR12FA230](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/WPR12FA230), May 26, 2012: Cessna 172S (N953SP), St. George, UT, substantial damage, 4 fatal. Probable cause: The pilot's failure to maintain adequate airspeed during an aggressive pitch-up maneuver, which resulted in a low-altitude aerodynamic stall shortly after takeoff. Contributing to the accident was…

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

---
OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.