Cessna 172 accident near Boulder, Colorado, June 7, 1990
On June 7, 1990 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 172, registered N2723E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO TOUCH DOWN AT THE PROPER POINT, HIS MISJUDGMENT OF THE DISTANCE REQUIRED FOR TAKEOFF FOLLOWING THE TOUCH AND GO, AND HIS DELAYED DECISION TO ABORT THE TAKEOFF.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 7, 1990 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N2723E · registry record · serial 17271306
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT STATED HE WAS PERFORMING TOUCH AND GO LANDINGS ON RUNWAY 08. HE HAD COMPLETED ONE LANDING AND 'LANDED A BIT TOO LONG' ON THE SECOND. HE REALIZED HE DID NOT HAVE ENOUGH RUNWAY REMAINING TO TAKEOFF AND RETARDED THE THROTTLE AND APPLIED 'HEAVY' BRAKING. THE AIRPLANE ROLLED OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, DOWN AN EMBANKMENT AND NOSED OVER. THE PILOT RECEIVED HIS PRIVATE PILOT CERTIFICATE SEVERAL DAYS BEFORE 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: 78 hours in all; 78 in this make and model; 64 in the last 90 days; 56 in the last 30 days; 27 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,520 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, February 17, 1990; 78 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 060° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 46°F (8°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.