Cessna 172N accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado, March 9, 1983
On March 9, 1983 at about 9:47 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N5434K, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado (Usaf Academy airport). It was an instructional 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 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
- March 9, 1983 · about 9:47 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spgs, Colorado · Usaf Academy · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N5434K · registry record · serial 17274108
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PILOT MADE A STEEP AND FAST APPROACH TO LAND AND BOUNCED, LANDING HARD ON THE RIGHT MAIN AND NOSE GEAR. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN A SECOND TIME, IN A LEFT DRIFT AND DEPARTED THE RUNWAY. WHEN THE LEFT GEAR WENT INTO A SNOWBANK AND THE PILOT ADDED POWER TO TRY TO GET CLEAR BUT THE NOSE GEAR HIT THE SNOW AND THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 31 hours in all; 31 in this make and model; 19 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 2 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 21, 1983; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Usafa Aero Club
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colo Springs CO at 9:35 pm
- Destination: AFF Usafa CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 3,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 080° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from AFF, 1 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.
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.