Cessna 172B accident near Alamosa, Colorado, May 19, 1986
On May 19, 1986 at about 4:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172B, registered N6990X, was substantially damaged in an accident near Alamosa, Colorado (Alamosa Municipal/Bergman 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
- May 19, 1986 · about 4:15 pm local time
- Place
- Alamosa, Colorado · Alamosa Municipal/Bergman · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172B · all 172Bs on the register
- Registration
- N6990X · no longer on the register · serial 17247890
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE STUDENT PLT HAD SOLOED THAT MORNING. AFTER A SHORT REST PERIOD HE FLEW WITH HIS INSTRUCTOR. HE THEN FLEW A SECOND SOLO FLT. THE STUDENT PLT MADE TWO LANDINGS. ON THE THIRD APPROACH THE PLT MADE A GO-AROUND. ON THE NEXT APPROACH THE ACFT STALLED CLOSE TO THE RWY, MADE A HARD LANDING, AND OVERTURNED.
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
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 15 hours in all; 8 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,277 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 29, 1986; 61 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 20, 8,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 240° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:00 pm from ALS
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.