Cessna 177RG accident near Brighton, Colorado, August 4, 1989
On August 4, 1989 at about 3:30 pm local time, a Cessna 177RG, registered N8203G, was substantially damaged in an accident near Brighton, Colorado (Van Aire airport). It was a personal 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
FAILURE OF THE LANDING GEAR DOWN LOCK, WHICH ALLOWED THE LANDING GEAR TO COLLAPSE DURING THE LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 4, 1989 · about 3:30 pm local time
- Place
- Brighton, Colorado · Van Aire · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 177RG · all 177RGs on the register
- Registration
- N8203G · registry record · serial 177RG0103
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT TOOK OFF ON A FLT FROM HECKENDORF RANCH STRIP (CO13) TO VAN AIRE ARPT (CO12), WHICH WAS NEARBY, TO LOAD THE ACFT & PROCEED ON ANOTHER FLT. BEFORE LANDING (AT CO12), HE MOVED THE GEAR SELECTOR DOWN & NOTED A SAFE INDICATOR LIGHT. AT TOUCHDOWN, BOTH MAIN GEAR COLLAPSED & THE PLANE TRACKED OFF THE RWY TO THE LEFT. AFTER LEAVING THE RWY, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED IN THE DIRT & THE WINGS & FUSELAGE WERE DAMAGED. AN INVESTIGATION REVEALED THE DOWN LOCK SPRING HAD FAILED & ALLOWED THE DOWNLOCK TO RELEASE AT TOUCHDOWN.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 763 hours in all; 58 in this make and model; 10 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 658 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,578 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 27, 1989; 3 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-A1B6 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CO13 Brighton CO at 3:20 pm
- Destination: CO12
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 30, 3,950 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.