Cessna 182 accident near Colorado Sprgs, Colorado, May 31, 1983
On May 31, 1983 at about 5:24 pm local time, a Cessna 182, registered N735FW, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Sprgs, Colorado (Colorado Springs 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 instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- May 31, 1983 · about 5:24 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Sprgs, Colorado · Colorado Springs
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182 · all 182s on the register
- Registration
- N735FW · no longer on the register · serial 18265398
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT MADE A CONTROLLED HARD EMERGENCY LANDING IN AN OPEN FIELD OFF AIRPORT AFTER AN ENCOUNTER WITH ICING. THE PILOT WAS MAKING A TURN DURING AN INSTRUMENT APPROACH PROCEDURE AND FELT THE ACFT BEGIN TO STALL AND BUFFET AND SLOW IN ITS RESPONSE TO ROLL. HE PITCHED DOWN TO MAINTAIN CONTROL AND BEGAN A DESCENT TO LOOK FOR A LANDING SPOT. HE MADE A RAPID DESCENT TO 7500 FT.MSL & THEN SLOWED SINK RATE WITH POWER BUT CONTINUED DESCENT. BETWEEN BREAKS IN CLOUDS HE MADE GROUNDCONTACT AND FINALLY BROKE OUT BELOW 100 FT CEILING TO LAND IN A PASTURE WITH APPROACH AT 80 KTS FULL POWER NOSE HIGH WINGS LEVEL. THE ACFT LANDED HARD AND THE RT MAIN FAILED IN ROLLOUT. 100 FEET AFTER INITIAL IMPACT THE ACFT HIT A FENCE.AFTER THE NOSE GEAR FAILED THE PROP DUG IN AND THE ACFT NOSED OVER 156 FEET FROM TOUCHDOWN. THE OCCUPANTS WERE NOT INJURED AND MADE AN EXIT FROM THE ACFT THROUGH A WINDOW SINCE THE DOORS WERE JAMMED SHUT.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,049 hours in all; 948 in this make and model; 22 in the last 90 days; 918 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,174 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 23, 1983; 17 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,950 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-U (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CDS Childress TX at 8:20 am
- Flight plan: IFR
- Runway 17, 11,021 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 500 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 34°F (1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:37 pm from COS, 10 miles away
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.