Cessna 172 accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado, December 3, 1989
On December 3, 1989 at about 7:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N6251E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT IN COMMAND ATTEMPTED A TAKEOFF WITH THE FUEL MIXTURE FULL RICH, WITH A HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE, RESULTING IN A PARTIAL LOSS OF ENGINE POWER DURING INITIAL CLIMB.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 3, 1989 · about 7:00 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spgs, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 4 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N6251E · no longer on the register · serial 46351
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PLT SAID THAT DURING INITIAL CLIMB, THE ENGINE SEEMED TO LOSE POWER. HE ELECTED TO MAKE AN EMERENCY LANDING IN A FIELD. HE SAID THAT DURING LANDING ROLL, THE PLANE TIPPED TO THE LEFT AND THE LEFT WING, LANDING GEAR, AND PROPELLER WERE DAMAGED. THE PLT REPORTED THAT HE HAD NOT LEANED THE MIXTURE FOR THIS FLIGHT. THE DENSITY ALTITUDE WAS COMPUTED TO BE 8,000 FEET. THE PLT INDICATED THAT THE PLANE WAS LOADED TO NEAR MAXIMUM GROSS WEIGHT. A POST-ACCIDENT INSPECTION SHOWED LOW COMPRESSION ON ONE CYLINDER; 1 MAGNETO WAS REMOVED, BENCH TESTED AND SHOWN TO BE OPERATIONAL. NO MECHANICAL EVIDENCE WAS FOUND TO EXPLAIN THE REPORTED LOSS OF ENGINE POWER.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, military, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,100 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 700 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,673 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 1, 1989; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,075 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-A (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Spring CO at 7:00 pm
- Destination: COS
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.