Cessna 172 accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, June 17, 1982
On June 17, 1982 at about 8:40 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N737VH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado (Ellicott airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 17, 1982 · about 8:40 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spring, Colorado · Ellicott
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N737VH · no longer on the register · serial 17269705
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAW THUNDERSTORMS NEAR PUEBLO AND COLORADO SPRINGS, CO, AND CHECKED THE ATIS AT BOTH PLACES. HE ENCOUNTERED TURBULENCE ON THE APPROACH TO THE AIRPORT, BUT OTHERWISE, THE APPROACH AND TOUCHDOWN WERE NORMAL. ACCORDING TO THE PILOT, A STRONG GUST OF WIND CAUGHT THE AIRCRAFT AFTER TOUCHDOWN AND DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST. SUBSEQUENTLY, THE AIRCRAFT DEPARTED THE RIGHT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY AND WAS DAMAGED. THE RUNWAY WAS WET AND THERE WAS A LOCALIZED THUNDERSTORM IN THE AREA. THE PILOT ESTIMATED THE WIND WAS GUSTING TO 50 KTS.
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: 110 hours in all; 14 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 787 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,825 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 82 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: CEZ Cortez CO at 12:30 pm
- Destination: GUC Gunnison CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35, 5,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 4 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.