Cessna 172J accident near Rifle, Colorado, June 16, 1991
On June 16, 1991 at about 9:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172J, registered N9885J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Rifle, Colorado (Garfield County Regional). 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 STUDENT PILOT IMPROPERLY FLARED THE AIRCRAFT DURING LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 1991 · about 9:00 pm local time
- Place
- Rifle, Colorado · Garfield County Regional · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172J · all 172Js on the register
- Registration
- N9885J · no longer on the register · serial 17273948
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
DURING LANDING, THE STUDENT PILOT FLARED HIS AIRCRAFT AND LANDED HARD. THE AIRCRAFT PORPOISED SEVERAL TIMES AND THEN THE PILOT EXECUTED A GO-AROUND. ON THE NEXT LANDING, DURING ROLL OUT, THE NOSE GEAR COLLAPSED. THE STUDENT PILOT HAD A TOTAL FLIGHT TIME OF 27 HOURS, OF WHICH 5 HOURS WERE LOGGED AS SOLO IN THE CESSNA 172.
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: 27 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 27 in the last 90 days; 14 in the last 30 days; 5 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Corporate Aircraft Service
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 26, 5,999 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°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.
Other NTSB records under N9885J the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.