The Most Devastating Plane Crashes In Utah History

Plane crashes seem to be happening at an alarming rate and Utah has had its share of tragic flights.  

Going way back to 1969, the Bureau of Aircraft Accidents Archive reported the Crash of Rockwell 1121 B Jet Commander in SLC. Two crew members were killed on the SLC runway, and the probable cause was a premature lift off, according to the BAAA.  

That’s one of the first incidents of a plane crash in the beehive state. There are many more tragic ones that happened in Utah all the way up to Fall of 2024.  

After the Rockwell 1121 flight in 1969, there was the crash of the Cessna 411 in 1971.  

The Cessna hit the slope of a mountain near Stockton, UT. After a few days, search and rescue operations stopped because no sign of the plane or passengers were found. In 1972 the wreckage of the aircraft was stumbled upon by walkers and the crash was deemed “not survivable”, the BAAA said.  

Though both crashes were tragic, the crashes preceding both in 1965 had a heavy loss of life.  

The first crash on Nov. 11, 1965, was the Boeing 727-22 in SLC. When touching down to land in SLC airport, the flight came in too fast, the BAAA said. Ultimately, 43 people lost their lives.  

Just a few weeks later on Nov. 27, 1965, the Douglass DC-3A crash happened also near SLC. A crew of four with nine passengers were headed to Albuquerque with a stop in Provo. The plane hit a mountain slope and poor weather conditions the BAAA said. All 13 passengers were found deceased.  

Jumping forward to 2024, the most recent plane crash in Utah happened last September resulting in the death of two men in Utah Lake. 

Flying is a dangerous game, and more crashes seem to be reported everyday across the U.S. and the world.