Cessna 172N accident near Watkins, Colorado, July 22, 1991
On July 22, 1991 at about 2:00 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N733BX, was substantially damaged in an accident near Watkins, Colorado (Aurora Airpark 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 PILOT SELECTED THE WRONG RUNWAY AND LANDED WITH A TAILWIND.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1991 · about 2:00 am local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Aurora Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N733BX · no longer on the register · serial 17268178
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT ATTEMPTED TO LAND WITH 40 DEGREES FLAPS IN WHAT HE DID NOT REALIZE WAS A 15 KNOT TAILWIND. THE AIRPLANE WAS SEEN TO CROSS MIDFIELD AT 100 FEET AGL, AND TOUCHED DOWN ON THE RUNWAY ABOUT 100 TO 200 YARDS FROM THE END. THE PILOT IMMEDIATELY LOCKED THE BRAKES, BUT THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, STRUCK A DITCH, 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
- Flight time: 30 hours in all; 22 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aurora Airpark, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 14, 4,694 ft by 40 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 70 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 25,000 ft; scat at 6,500 ft
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Observation at 1:50 am from BKF, 5 miles away
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.