Cessna 175A N5089

Summary

On 28 May 2023 at about 22:43 local time, a Cessna 175A registered N5089, operated by Gifford David M, was involved in an accident near Enterprise, Utah, United States. One person was on board and nobody was injured. The aircraft was substantially damaged. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

28 May 2023 at 22:43

Classification

Accident

Location

Enterprise, Utah, United States

Coordinates

37.5120, -113.7815

Aircraft

Cessna 175A

Registration

N5089

Category

Airplane

Year built

1960

Engines

1

Operator

Gifford David M

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Enterprise → Las Vegas

Aircraft damage

Substantial

Weather

VMC

Light

Day

NTSB number

WPR23LA204

Nobody was injured.

The pilot’s inability to maintain altitude during an initial climbout in mountainous terrain after encountering a suspected downdraft.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

The airplane departed a private dirt strip in mountainous terrain with a left quartering headwind. During the initial climb, the pilot retracted the flaps from to 20º to 10º to improve the airplane’s acceleration. There was no change in airspeed, so he retracted the flaps completely and the airplane began a descent. He then extended the flaps back to 10º and initiated a shallow right turn to maneuver away from rising terrain, but the airplane did not climb. The pilot applied a nose down attitude to prevent a stall and the airplane impacted terrain and nosed over, in which the right wing sustained substantial damage. The pilot suspected he had flown into a downdraft after taking off and reported there were no mechanical failures or malfunctions to the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.