Cessna 172M accident near Bennett, Colorado, September 16, 1986
On September 16, 1986 at about 10:33 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N1691V, was destroyed in an accident near Bennett, Colorado. It was a business flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. 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
- September 16, 1986 · about 10:33 pm local time
- Place
- Bennett, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N1691V · no longer on the register · serial 17263715
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Business flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT, A BAIL BONDSMAN, FLEW TO GOODLAND, KS, REPORTEDLY IN SEARCH OF AN ACCUSED FELON. ON THE AFTERNOON OF THE ACCIDENT, THE PLT OBTAINED A WX BRIEFING FROM THE FSS AND FILED A VFR FLT PLAN BACK TO THE BRIGHTON-VAN AIRE AIRPORT IN COLORADO. WX WAS CAVU. THE PLT WAS SEEN TO DEPART ALONE FROM GOODLAND AT 1509 CDT. THE PLT CONTACTED DENVER A/C, WAS IDENTIFIED ON RADAR, TOLD TO TURN TO A HEADING OF 320 DEG, TOLD TO PROCEED DIRECT TO VAN AIRE AND REMAIN IN VFR CONDITIONS BELOW THE FLOOR OF THE TCA. THE PLT REPORTED LEVEL AT 7000 FT MSL. RADIO/RADAR CONTACT WAS LOST SHORTLY THEREAFTER AT 1633:33 MDT. EXAMINATION OF THE WRECKAGE DISCLOSED NO EVIDENCE OF AIRFRAME, ENG, PROP, FLT CONTROL, OR SYSTEMS FAILURE/MALFUNCTION PRIOR TO THE ACCIDENT.
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: 1,500 hours in all; 50 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (expired)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,600 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, July 13, 1986
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tri-County Flt School
The flight
- Departed from: GLD Goodland KS at 8:09 pm
- Destination: CO12 Brighton CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 350° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 25,000 ft; scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:52 pm from DEN, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 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.