Piper PA-18A-135 accident near Cedaredge, Colorado, August 17, 2005
On August 17, 2005 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Piper PA-18A-135, registered N7172K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Cedaredge, Colorado (Flying W. Ranch Airport). It was a personal 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 pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control, and the pilot's improper in-flight planning. Contributing to the accident was the wind shift, resultant tailwind, and the inadvertent stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 17, 2005 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Cedaredge, Colorado · Flying W. Ranch Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Piper PA-18A-135 · all PA-18A-135s on the register
- Registration
- N7172K · registry record · serial 18-396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
According to the pilot, he was attempting to land on runway 35. While in the landing flare, the wind shifted from a headwind to a tailwind, resulting in a 15-20 knot tailwind and an increased groundspeed. The pilot stated that he attempted a go-around procedure. The airplane stalled and fell "about 15 feet onto a fence and rocks along the fence", causing substantial damage. According to the pilot, the wind was 160 at 12 knots with gusts of 18 knots and there was light turbulence at the time of the 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
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,768 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 40 in the last 90 days; 19 in the last 30 days; 2,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 1, 2005
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,924 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 1, 2004; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D2 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: VEL Vernal UT at 7:00 pm
- Destination: CO20 Cedaredge CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 2,400 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 6 knots, gusting 18
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:30 pm from KMTJ, 22 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.