Cessna 172 accident near Ellicott, Colorado, June 17, 1983
On June 17, 1983 at about 2:35 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N75958, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ellicott, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 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, 1983 · about 2:35 pm local time
- Place
- Ellicott, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N75958 · no longer on the register · serial 17268069
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT COLLIDED WITH A FENCE DURING A FORCED LANDING AFTER THE ENGINE QUIT. THE PLT WAS DESCENDING FROM AIRWORK AT 10800 FT MSL TO RETURN TO THE ARPT. THE ENGINE WAS REDUCED TO IDLE AND THE CARBURETOR HEAT WAS ON BUT THE ENGINE WOULD NOT RESPOND WHEN THE THROTTLE WAS ADVANCED. EMERGENCY PROCEDURES WERE INTITATED AND A LANDING SITE CHOSEN. THE DIRT ROADCHOSEN HAD A CROSSWIND SO AN ALTERNATE FIELD WAS CHOSEN. THE GRASS FIELD GAVE POOR DECELERATION AND AFTER 455 FT OF ROLLA FENCE WAS ENCOUNTERED. IN THE RECOMMENDATION SECTION OF THE PILOT'S ACCIDENT REPORT HE WROTE 'BE CAUTIOUS EVEN WITH NOVISIBLE MOISTURE WHEN IT WAS VISIBLE EARLIER.' ALL POST ACCIDENT TESTS ON THE ENGINE WERE NORMAL. THE FUEL SYSTEM CONTAINED NO WATER IN THE TANKS OR LINES. THE TEMPERATURE ON THE DAY OF THE ACCIDENT WAS 55 DEGREES F AND THE DEWPOINT WAS 32 DEGREES F.
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: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 3,419 hours in all; 484 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 3,318 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,795 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 4, 1982; 20 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: COS Colorado Spring CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 135° at 6 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 100 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N75958 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.