Cessna 172 accident near Salida, Colorado, July 18, 1983
On July 18, 1983 at about 11:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N37ER, was substantially damaged in an accident near Salida, Colorado. It was a business 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
- July 18, 1983 · about 11:15 pm local time
- Place
- Salida, Colorado · map
- 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
- N37ER · registry record · serial 17269534
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE PLT, HE CROSSED RUBY MOUNTAIN AT 9900 FT MCL. AFTER CROSSING, HE REPORTEDLY ENCOUNTERED LIGHT RAIN & 500 FT/MIN DOWNDRAFTS. HE STATED THAT HE FLEW INTO ROTOR WINDS & HAD DIFFICULTLY KEEPING THE WINGS LEVEL. REPORTEDLY, THERE WAS INSUFFICIENT ALTITUDE TO REVERSE COURSE, SO HE SELECTED THE ONLY AVAILABLE PLACE TO LAND, A SLOPING, ROCKY MEADOW. DURING THE LANDING ROLL, THE NOSEWHEEL HIT A ROCK & THE ACFT WENT OVER ON ITS TOP. THE PLT STRONGLY EMPHASIZED THAT THE USE OF SHOULDER HARNESSES PREVENTED HIM & THE PASSENGER (HIS WIFE) FROM RECEIVING INJURIES. AT ABOUT THE SAME TIME, ANOTHER PLT WAS GIVING INSTRUCTIONS ON MOUNTAIN FLYING IN A CESSNA 172. HE WAS FLYING APRX 15 MI SOUTH OF THE ACCIDENT SITE. ACCORDING TO HIM, THE AIR WAS VERY UNSTABLE & THERE WERE THUNDERSTORMS IN THE AREA. HE REPORTED THAT HIS CLIMB RATE NEVER EXCEEDED 100 FT/MIN, EXCEPT IN UPDRAFTS ON THE WINDWARD SIDE OF THE RIDGES. THE ELEVATION OF THE CRASH SITE WAS APRX 8200 FT.
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: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; multi-engine sea; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 3,481 hours in all; 331 in this make and model; 129 in the last 90 days; 3,157 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,280 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 16, 1983
- Maximum gross weight: 2,220 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 7V1 Buena Vista CO at 10:55 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 14,200 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.
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.