N19678

On March 8, 1994, approximately 1615 mountain standard time (MST), a Cessna 172, N19678, impacted the terrain during the landing roll at Burns Field, Evanston, Wyoming. The student pilot, who was the sole occupant of the aircraft, was not injured, but the aircraft sustained substantial damage. The solo instructional flight, which departed Big Piney Municipal Airport, Big Piney, Wyoming, about one hour earlier, was in visual meteorological conditions at the time of the accident. The pilot was on a VFR flight plan, and there was no report of an ELT activation.

According to the operator, the student pilot was returning to Evanston from his first solo cross-country flight. While attempting a landing in gusty crosswinds, the pilot lost directional control of the aircraft, and his remedial action was not adequate to keep the aircraft from departing the side of the runway. After departing the runway, the airplane impacted a snow bank with one of its wings.