Cessna 172N accident near Longmont, Colorado, December 20, 1985
On December 20, 1985 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N7609F, was substantially damaged in an accident near Longmont, Colorado (Longmont Municipal airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was 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 20, 1985 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Longmont, Colorado · Longmont Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N7609F · registry record · serial 17273267
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
ACCORDING TO THE STUDENT PLT HE MADE A NORMAL APCH TO LANDING. THE RUNWAY HAD NOT BEEN CLEARED OF SNOW TO ITS FULL WIDTH. THE ACFT'S LEFT WHEEL TOUCHED THE SNOW PULLING THE ACFT OFF THE RWY AND THE ACFT FLIPPED OVER.
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: student
- Flight time: 35 hours in all; 35 in this make and model; 13 in the last 90 days; 3 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,206 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 18, 1985
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: BJC Broomfield CO at 3:20 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 4,200 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 5 knots, gusting 10
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 27°F (-3°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 7:30 am from 2V2
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.