Cessna 172 accident near Broomfield, Colorado, October 24, 2008
On October 24, 2008 at about 5:12 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N64055, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR go-around) near Broomfield, Colorado (Rocky Mountain Metropolitan airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain control of the airplane, resulting in an inadvertent stall, during a landing attempt. Contributing to the accident was the gusty crosswinds.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 24, 2008 · about 5:12 pm local time
- Place
- Broomfield, Colorado · Rocky Mountain Metropolitan · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 P · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N64055 · no longer on the register · serial 17275511
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
After making three touch-and-go landings in "choppy" weather at a nearby airport, the pilot returned to her home airport and was cleared to land on runway 29R. She thought the wind was "well within [her] ability level." On base leg, tower changed the landing runway to 29L. She thought the wind was "acceptable...even with the crosswind component," and she did not request a crosswind runway. She "crabbed" the airplane into the gusty crosswind and the airplane was blown to the left of, and "almost perpendicular to," the runway. As the airplane entered ground effect and was over the grass, the pilot added power "in an attempt to get enough altitude and speed to bring the airplane back over the runway." When the pilot realized this was futile, the pilot added full power in a go-around attempt. The airplane stalled and struck the ground. The pilot stated, "I remember trying to force the nose down and I couldn't get it down quickly enough. I got higher off the ground...I think parallel to the runway, then [the air]plane pulled to the left even with holding right rudder, tipped over left and seemed to bounce off the ground and then hit the ground facing south." The recorded wind at the airport was from 300 degrees at 12 knots. No gusts were reported.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during approach (VFR go-around) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Ability to respond/compensate
- factor Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Ability to respond/compensate
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › (general) › Not attained/maintained
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 195 hours in all; 195 in this make and model; 15 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 66 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 26, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,699 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 25, 2008
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Western Air Flight Academy
The flight
- Departed from: LMO Longmont CO at 5:00 pm
- Destination: BJC Broomfield CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29L, 7,004 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 030° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.10 inHg
- Observation at 5:14 pm from BJC
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.