Cessna 152 accident near Canon City, Colorado, January 20, 1985
On January 20, 1985 at about 1:50 am local time, a Cessna 152, registered N4925M, was substantially damaged in an accident near Canon City, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility).
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
- January 20, 1985 · about 1:50 am local time
- Place
- Canon City, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- instrument conditions (cloud, fog or low visibility)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N4925M · no longer on the register · serial 15284492
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES ON MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AFTER ENCOUNTERING IFR WX EN ROUTE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT UPON ARRIVING IN THE COLORADO SPRINGS AREA AN UNDERCAST PREVAILED. HE CONTACTED PUEBLO APCH AND DENVER CENTER AND WAS ADVISED THAT ALAMOSA, CO, WAS REPORTING VFR CONDITIONS. THE PLT THEN ELECTED TO FLY TO SALIDA, CO, DUE TO A LOW FUEL STATE. EN ROUTE THE PLT SPOTTED AN APRX 5 MILE AREA WHICH WAS CLEAR AND AN ATTEMPT WAS MADE TO DESCEND INTO THE CLEAR AREA, HOWEVER, CLOUDS WERE ENCOUNTERED. THE PLT THEN APPLIED PWR IN AN ATTEMPT TO CLIMB BUT THE ACFT CONTACTED TREES ON THE SIDE OF A MOUNTAIN.
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, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,900 hours in all; 15 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,140 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 12, 1984; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Sprngs CO at 9:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 160° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 6 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 1,500 ft; not recorded at 1,500 ft
- Temperature: 23°F (-5°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 pm from PUB, 25 miles away
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.