Cessna 172N accident near Durango, Colorado, February 17, 2002
On February 17, 2002 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4642J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Durango, Colorado (Animas Air Park airport). It was an instructional 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 the landing roll. Contributing factors were the crosswind and the pilot's fatigue from lack of sleep.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 17, 2002 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Durango, Colorado · Animas Air Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4642J · no longer on the register · serial 17273658
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that during a touch and go landing on runway 19, he overcorrected for a slight right crosswind, and the airplane went off the right side of the runway. It struck a pile of dirt, and the left main gear collapsed. The airplane then crossed the runway and came to rest on the east side. The pilot said, "I had slept poorly the previous two nights and in retrospect, I believe fatigue was a significant factor in this accident."
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
Dual student
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 38 hours in all; 30 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 9,331 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 5, 2002; 14 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00C Durango CO at 4:00 pm
- Destination: 00C Durango CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 19, 5,010 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 41°F (5°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.04 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from DRO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N4642J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.