- Date
- September 7, 2022, 15:00 local (21:00 UTC)
- Place
- Salt Lake City, UT · soccer field
- Injuries
- 2 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N48918Cessna 152
- Defining event
- Initial climb: Windshear or thunderstorm
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Western Pacific Region
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20220907020889A
- Case key
- 105913
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The NTSB’s determination of the probable cause, and any contributing factors.
The airplane’s encounter with a microburst during initial climb that resulted in a loss of altitude and subsequent collision with a tree.
Findings · 3
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings.
Analysis
The flight instructor reported that, during an instructional flight with the student pilot at the flight controls, the airplane encountered a microburst during the takeoff climb. The airplane started to descend, he assumed control of the airplane, checked the engine RPM's and throttle. Despite his actions the airplane continued to descend. Unable to maintain altitude, he elected to land on a soccer field. During the landing roll, the right wing impacted a tree that resulted in substantial damage. Witnesses located near the accident location reported that, the accident airplane encountered a “microburst” and “big gust of wind,” and it then began/started to descend toward the ground. One witness stated that it appeared as if the airplane was “…fighting to gain altitude.” A Federal Aviation Administration inspector reported that, the accident flight was captured on airport surveillance camera, and showed the accident airplane take off in a normal climb profile. About 50-100 ft above ground level (agl), the airplane was seen making small abrupt changes in altitude, that the FAA inspector indicated was consistent with a turbulence encounter. As the airplane continued the climb, about 200-300 ft agl, it flew into a wall of vertical dust and appeared to be in a descent. The video showed the airplane as it continued forward in the dust while still in a descent until it was no longer visible in the video frame. Prior to the accident, the airport’s automated weather observation station reported that, at 14:55 local time, the wind was from 160° at 4 knots. Shortly thereafter, the same automated station reported that, at 15:15 local time, the wind was from 110° at 5 knots, gusting to 21 knots. The airplane was taking off from runway 16.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N48918
- Reported as
- Cessna 152
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 15283389
- Built
- 1979
- Airframe hours
- 4,394
- Engine
- Lycoming O-235-L2C, 115 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional · Part 91
- Operator
- Kelly Allred
- Registered owner
- Aero Fliers LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Utility; Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- 100 hour · July 28, 2022
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Flight plan
- VFR
- Airport
- U42 · South Valley Rgnl, runway 16, 5,800 × 100 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew · 2
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Flight instructor
- Age
- 50
- Injuries
- None
- Certificates
- Commercial, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, Without waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 480 total · 428 as pilot in command · 167 in the last 90 days · 62 in the last 30 days · 5 in the last 24 hours
- Role
- Student pilot
- Age
- 23
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Student
- Medical
- Class 1, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 13 total · 13 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 110° at 5 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 97 °F, dew point 55 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.16 inHg
- Observed at
- KU42
- METAR
- KU42 072115Z AUTO 11005G21KT 10SM CLR 36/13 A3016 RMK AO1 T03620125
Docket · 4
The files NTSB released with the investigation on December 9, 2022, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 12.5 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.
Other investigations on N48918 · 2
Matched to the same aircraft by N-number and date.