Cessna 175 accident near Rio Blanco, Colorado, September 1, 2009
On September 1, 2009 at about 3:25 pm local time, a Cessna 175, registered N6686E, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (flare/touchdown) near Rio Blanco, Colorado (Bishop'S Cabin Airstrip airport). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing and his failure to execute a go-around.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 2009 · about 3:25 pm local time
- Place
- Rio Blanco, Colorado · Bishop'S Cabin Airstrip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175 · all 175s on the register
- Registration
- N6686E · no longer on the register · serial 56186
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The airplane was landing at a 2,100-foot-long dirt and turf remote mountain airstrip in dry conditions with clear skies and calm wind. During the flare and initial touchdown, the pilot allowed the airplane to drift to the left edge of the runway and the nose gear of the airplane struck a runway edge marker. According to the pilot, that impact "forcefully bounced the aircraft back in the air while dragging the tail." The airplane then "landed hard but controllably" on the left edge of the runway and the pilot steered the airplane back onto the runway. There was substantial damage to the forward fuselage and nose gear, but no injuries to the pilot.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during landing (flare/touchdown) defining event
- Abnormal runway contact during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Dragged wing/rotor/float/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Lack of action › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,938 hours in all; 490 in this make and model; 37 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 20, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,756 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 1, 2009; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,450 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Shelton Drilling Corp
The flight
- Departed from: KGWS Glenwoodsprings CO at 2:50 pm
- Destination: NONE Rio Blanco CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 2,100 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.