Cessna R172K accident near Aurora, Colorado, March 27, 1983
On March 27, 1983 at about 10:15 pm local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N736CU, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Colorado (Columbine airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 3 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
- March 27, 1983 · about 10:15 pm local time
- Place
- Aurora, Colorado · Columbine · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 3 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N736CU · no longer on the register · serial R1722428
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT COLLIDED WITH A SNOWBANK DURING LANDING. THE PILOT STATED THAT HE HAD CONTACTED FLT SERVICE AND ASKED ABOUTTHE RUNWAY CONDITIONS. NOTHING WAS REPORTED AND NO NOTAMS WERE POSTED. UPON ARRIVAL THE PILOT TRIED TO CONTACT UNICOM ATCOLUMBINE. SOMEONE USING CALL SIGN AURORA ANSWERED. ASSUMING COLUMBINE UNICOM WAS OUT OF SERVICE THE PILOT OVERFLEW THE FIELD FOR WIND AND TRAFFIC. HE ENTERED TRAFFIC AND LANDED AND DID NOT REALIZE THE RUNWAY WAS POORLY PLOWED UNTIL AFTER TOUCHDOWN. ONLY A NARROW PATH DOWN THE MIDDLE OF THE RUNWAY WAS PLOWED. THE ACFT TOUCHED DOWN WITH THE LEFT GEAR IN THE SNOW. AS THE ACFT ROLLED THE SNOW CLOGGED THE LEFT WHEEL AND THE ACFT. SWERVED OFF THE RUNWAY AND 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 195 hours in all; 74 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 146 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 624 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 21, 1982; 90 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: SAF Santa Fe NM at 7:44 pm
- Destination: 01V Aurora CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 32, 5,000 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 30,000 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 1°F (-17°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from DEN
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.