Cessna 172 accident near Silt, Colorado, January 31, 2021
On January 31, 2021 at about 9:20 pm local time, a 1971 Cessna 172, registered N4376Q, was destroyed in an accident during maneuvering (low-alt flying) near Silt, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to avoid powerlines while flying at low altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 31, 2021 · about 9:20 pm local time
- Place
- Silt, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172, built 1971 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N4376Q · registry record · serial 17260276
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was conducting a local sightseeing flight when the airplane impacted high-tension transmission wires. The airplane came to rest about 600 ft past the wires, and the upper 2-foot section of the vertical stabilizer and rudder were separated and located about 100 ft from the wires. Postaccident examination revealed no malfunctions or anomalies of the airplane or engine that would have precluded normal operation. The circumstances of the accident are consistent with the pilot’s failure to avoid powerlines while flying at low altitude.
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
- Low altitude operation/event during maneuvering (low-alt flying) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Wire › Awareness of condition
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming Engines O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KRIL Rifle CO at 9:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 28°F (-2°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.43 inHg
- Observation at 2:15 pm from K5SM, 14 miles away
Weather report (METAR): K5SM 312115Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR M02/M12 A3043 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
7 documents, released by the NTSB on July 21, 2022. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Exam Summary | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Onboard Image Recorder - Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Electronic Recorder Devices - Specialist's Factual Report | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Attachment 1 to Electronic Recorder Devices - Specialist's Factual Report -- Tabular Data | data file | Download |
| 6 | Textron Technical Report | PDF, 8 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Statement of Party Representatives to NTSB Investigation | PDF, 15 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.