20260510006639A

Accident · Destroyed

FAA accident report · Cessna 172 · Richfield, UT · May 10, 2026

Date: May 10, 2026 · 12:30 local
Place: Richfield, UT
Airport: Richfield Municipal
Phase of flight: Cruise/Level Flight
Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
Damage: Destroyed
Aircraft: N6643A
NTSB investigation: NTSBWPR26LA180
Reported as: Cessna 172
Reported engine: Continental 0-300 series
People aboard: 2
Fatal injuries: 0
Other injuries: 2
Pilot’s certificate: Private pilot
Pilot’s flight hours: 2,600 total3 in this make and model

N6643ARegistered now · Cessna 172S/N 28743 · Built 1956 Airframe modelCessna 172 Engine modelContinental 0-300 seriesReciprocating

From the FAA’s Accident/Incident Data System (AIDS), through its Aviation Safety Information Portal, as reported. The NTSB investigates accidents separately, and its record of an accident is the fuller one. The aircraft is matched to the registry 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.

What happened

The FAA’s narrative, in sentence case. The FAA writes it in capitals and removes private details.

This was personal flight in mountainous terrain near the monroe mountain. The aircraft was approximately 1000 feet AGL. Over the descending terrain. The aircraft experienced a down draft from the down sloping wind. Pilot applied full power but was unable to arrest their decent. The aircraft’s left wing hit a tree and undercarriage. The aircraft spun into the ground and a post-crash fire destroyed the aircraft. The pilot and the passenger were able to evacuate the aircraft with minor injuries.

As the FAA filed it

THIS WAS PERSONAL FLIGHT IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN NEAR THE MONROE MOUNTAIN. THE AIRCRAFT WAS APPROXIMATELY 1000 FEET AGL. OVER THE DESCENDING TERRAIN. THE AIRCRAFT EXPERIENCED A DOWN DRAFT FROM THE DOWN SLOPING WIND. PILOT APPLIED FULL POWER BUT WAS UNABLE TO ARREST THEIR DECENT. THE AIRCRAFT’S LEFT WING HIT A TREE AND UNDERCARRIAGE. THE AIRCRAFT SPUN INTO THE GROUND AND A POST-CRASH FIRE DESTROYED THE AIRCRAFT. THE PILOT AND THE PASSENGER WERE ABLE TO EVACUATE THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES.

NTSB investigation

The NTSB’s investigation of this event, with its probable cause and findings. Matched to this report by N-number and date.

NTSB WPR26LA180Accident · Serious injuriesClass 4 · LimitedFinal reportMarysvale, UTThe pilot's failure to maintain clearance from trees while maneuvering in mountainous terrain prior to encountering a downdraft.May 10, 2026 · Destroyed