Cessna 172S accident near Erie, Colorado, August 29, 2004
On August 29, 2004 at about 3:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172S, registered N2099J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri-County airport). It was a personal 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 aircraft control resulting in a hard landing. Factors contributing to the accident were the pilot induced oscillation and the high approach airspeed.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 2004 · about 3:00 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Tri-County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172S · all 172Ss on the register
- Registration
- N2099J · no longer on the register · serial 17259586
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that his approach speed was too high and he "ballooned." The airplane began to porpoise and impacted the nose gear. The pilot added power and aborted the landing. At the time of the landing, the pilot was not aware that a propeller strike had occurred. The flight returned to BJC and a postflight inspection revealed that the firewall was wrinkled and the propeller was damaged.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 198 hours in all; 165 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 110 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 1, 2003
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 395.6 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 24, 2004; 386 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,558 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Avco Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Mc Air
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 2:45 pm
- Destination: BJC Broomfield CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 4,700 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 25 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 1,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 2:45 pm from BJC, 10 miles away
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 N2099J 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.