Salt Lake City Intl — Safety History & Runway Risks
NTSB accident analysis for KSLC: 19 events analyzed
Salt Lake City, UT · 4230.9 ft MSL · 4 runways
Based on 19 NTSB events at KSLC (Salt Lake City Intl), the most important risks for pilots are:
- Ground movement and taxi situational awareness. At least 6 events involve taxi or ground movement errors: aircraft striking fuel trucks, runway lights, baggage carts, other aircraft during pushback, and failure to follow taxiway centerlines. KSLC's complex Class B taxiway environment demands heightened situational awareness, especially at night.
- Wildlife / bird strikes on approach and downwind. Three separate events (2010 EMB-145, 2017 Cessna 550, 2021 Cessna 560XL) involved bird strikes on approach or downwind, including a goose strike to a horizontal stabilizer. Salt Lake City's proximity to the Great Salt Lake creates persistent bird hazard, particularly during migration seasons.
- Convective weather and microburst/wind shear on approach. In July 2022, a Cessna 208B encountered a microburst during a landing attempt with gusts recorded at 48 knots, causing the pilot to lose control during a go-around. The NTSB noted inadequate wind sensor coverage at the airport for detecting microburst activity.
Source: NTSB accident records analyzed by Tropiq. Updated 4/14/2026.
Airport Cameras
FAA WeatherCamImages from FAA Weather Camera Program. Updated approximately every 10 minutes.
Safety History
19 eventsKSLC has recorded 19 NTSB events from 2008–2024, with no fatalities in 18 of those events and one fatal ground incident involving a helicopter in 2010. The accident profile is dominated by ground handling errors, wildlife strikes, and landing/taxi mishaps rather than approach or weather-related accidents — a pattern relevant to GA pilots navigating a busy Class B environment with complex taxiways and significant wildlife exposure. Density altitude at 4,230 ft MSL and summer convective activity (including at least one microburst event) add meteorological complexity that demands careful preflight planning.
Over 16 years, KSLC averaged roughly 1.2 events per year, with the single fatal event being a helicopter ground accident in 2010. The event profile is broadly consistent across the period with no single catastrophic trend, but recurring themes of ground movement errors and wildlife strikes appear in every multi-year window.
- •Ground movement and taxi errors account for at least 6 of 19 events, making it the single most common event category
- •Wildlife strikes appear in 3 events spread across 2010, 2017, and 2021, suggesting a persistent and recurring hazard rather than an isolated occurrence
- •Landing gear failures or gear-up landings appear in 3 separate events (2008, 2009, 2014), all in VMC conditions — suggesting mechanical and checklist factors rather than weather-driven causes
- •The only fatal event (2010) involved a helicopter repositioning on the ramp — not a fixed-wing approach or departure
- •Nearly all events (17 of 19) occurred in VMC conditions, indicating that environmental visibility was not the primary factor and that operational/human errors dominate the accident picture
- •Events are distributed across all seasons with no single season accounting for a disproportionate share, though summer convective hazards are distinctly represented in July events
Runway Analysis
Key Risks
Common Causes
Seasonal Patterns
Source: NTSB Aviation Accident Database. Analysis generated 2026-04-14. This data is provided for flight planning awareness and does not replace official safety briefings.
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