Cessna A188B accident near Del Norte, Colorado, July 5, 1985
On July 5, 1985 at about 9:30 pm local time, a Cessna A188B, registered N731GN, was substantially damaged in an accident near Del Norte, Colorado (Del Norte airport). 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 5, 1985 · about 9:30 pm local time
- Place
- Del Norte, Colorado · Del Norte · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna A188B · all A188Bs on the register
- Registration
- N731GN · no longer on the register · serial 18802886T
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT WAS ATTEMPTING TO TAKE OFF FROM A 3800-FT GRASS RWY. FIELD ELEVATION WAS 7700 FT, TEMP WAS 88 DEG. THE PLT SAID THAT AT ABOUT 2500 FT DOWN THE RWY HE DECIDED TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF. DIRECTIONAL CONTROL WAS LOST AND THE AIRPLANE GROUNDLOOPED. THE PLT SAID THAT TAKEOFF WAS DOWNWIND AND HE HAD ENCOUNTERED A GUST. ACFT PERFORMANCE FIGURES INDICATE THAT THE AIRPLANE SHOULD HAVE BEEN ABLE TO ACCELERATED TO TAKEOFF SPEED AND BE BRAKED TO A STOP IN THE AMOUNT OF RUNWWAY AVAILABLE.
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land
- Flight time: 16,000 hours in all; 16,000 in this make and model; 16,000 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: ctr
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,449 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 20, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 4,200 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-520-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0, 3,800 ft by 200 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 88°F (31°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:50 pm from ALS, 28 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.