Cessna 172P accident near Colo. Springs, Colorado, April 26, 2003
On April 26, 2003 at about 5:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N54202, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colo. Springs, Colorado (Meadow Lake Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the student pilot's failure to obtain and maintain adequate altitude during the go-around. Factors contributing to the accident were the encountered windshear, the student pilot's premature raising of the flaps, the instructor pilot's inadequate supervision, and the berm.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 26, 2003 · about 5:50 pm local time
- Place
- Colo. Springs, Colorado · Meadow Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N54202 · no longer on the register · serial 17274914
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor reported that while making an approach to the runway, the airplane encountered wind shear. The instructor told the student pilot to go-around. The student pilot added power and the airplane climbed "just above the runway." The flight instructor said the airplane would not climb. The instructor pilot said, "The nose wheel hit a small hill on the (approach) end of the runway and flipped us over." The airplane sustained damage to the propeller, engine cowling, nose gear, firewall, and both wings. Later, after the airplane had been recovered, the instructor pilot noted that the flaps were up. The instructor pilot reported that on approach, the flaps were in the full down position. An examination of the airplane revealed no pre-existing anomalies that could have contributed to the accident. The reported winds at the Colorado Springs Municipal Airport, 225 degrees at 14 nautical miles, 4 minutes after the accident occurred, were 140 degrees at 5 knots.
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
Flight instructor
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,325 hours in all; 1,050 in this make and model; 160 in the last 90 days; 45 in the last 30 days; 1,120 as pilot in command; 950 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 14, 2002
- Medical certificate: Class 2
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: student
- Flight time: 40 hours in all; 40 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PUB Pueblo CO at 4:45 pm
- Destination: 00V Colo. Springs CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 2,084 ft by 40 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 5:54 pm from COS, 14 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.