Cessna 172N accident near Boulder, Colorado, January 25, 2014
On January 25, 2014 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 1977 Cessna 172N, registered N738LQ, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Muni airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain airplane control during final approach with known turbulence present.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 25, 2014 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Muni · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N N, built 1977 · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N738LQ · no longer on the register · serial 17270065
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew a round robin cross-country flight to practice touch and go landings at nearby airports. At one airport, he aborted the landing due to "moderate to severe turbulence on final." During the approach to the destination airport, he aborted his first approach due to strong winds and turbulence and decided to go around. During his second approach, the airplane lost about 200 feet of altitude following a downdraft. The pilot applied full throttle to gain airspeed. A wind gust lifted the airplane's right wing and the pilot applied full right aileron. The airplane's left wing, the left main landing gear, and the nose landing gear impacted terrain where the airplane skidded for 100 to 150 feet and sustained substantial wing damage. Subsequent to the accident, the pilot became aware of the airport/facility directory remarks for turbulence associated with the selected runway. Additionally, he reported that the airplane did not have any mechanical malfunctions during the accident flight.
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
- Turbulence encounter during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Turbulence › Terrain induced turbulence › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 22 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 0 in the last 30 days; 80 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 2, 2012
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,704 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 3, 2014
- Maximum gross weight: 2,299 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 1,428 hours total
- Operator: Journeys Aviation Inc.
The flight
- Departed from: LMO Longmont CO at 10:30 pm
- Destination: BDU Boulder CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Observation at 10:56 pm from BDU
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
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.