Cessna 180 accident near Florissant, Colorado, December 30, 1983
On December 30, 1983 at about 9:45 pm local time, a Cessna 180, registered N3389D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Florissant, Colorado. 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 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
- December 30, 1983 · about 9:45 pm local time
- Place
- Florissant, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 180 · all 180s on the register
- Registration
- N3389D · registry record · serial 32187
- 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 SNOWBANK DURING LANDING. THE RWY HAD ONLY BEEN PLOWED TO A WIDTH OF ABOUT 16 FT ACCORDING TO THE PLT. THIS WAS A PRIVATELY OWNED STRIP AND THE PLT/OWNER SAID HE INSTRUCTED HIS MAINTENANCE MAN/RANCH MGR TO PLOW THERWY TO MINIMUM WIDTH. THE PLT SAID THAT DURING THE LANDING ROLL THE RIGHT LANDING GEAR HIT THE SNOW ALONGSIDE THE STRIPCAUSING A NOSE OVER. THE PLT HAD JUST DEPARTED THIS STRIP AND RETURNED TO GET SOME CAR KEYS WHEN THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED.
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
- Flight time: 152 hours in all; 138 in this make and model; 72 in the last 90 days; 102 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,284 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, October 1, 1983; 50 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: 3V5 Ft Collins CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 18, 2,200 ft by 15 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N3389D 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.