Cessna 31 accident near Sterling, Colorado, September 9, 1982
On September 9, 1982 at about 4:13 pm local time, a Cessna 31, registered N310CT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Sterling, Colorado (Crosson Field). It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 5 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
- September 9, 1982 · about 4:13 pm local time
- Place
- Sterling, Colorado · Crosson Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 5 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 31
- Registration
- N310CT · registry record · serial 31000433
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
PILOT CAME IN HIGH AND MADE A HARD, BOUNCING LANDING AFTER WHICH CONTROL WAS REGAINED AND THE AIRCRAFT WAS TAXIED TO RAMP. EXAMINATION REVEALED EXTENSIVE DAMAGE TO THE NOSE, WINGS, AND FUSELAGE.
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: 2,080 hours in all; 289 in this make and model; 34 in the last 90 days; 186 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,824 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 5,200 lb
- Seats: 6
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental IO-470-VO (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: C Garden City KS at 10:10 am
- Destination: C Sterling CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 4,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 15 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded; not recorded
- Temperature: 185°F (85°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 4 |
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.