Cessna 175A accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado, August 29, 1992
On August 29, 1992 at about 3:58 am local time, a Cessna 175A, registered N7032E, was destroyed in an accident near Pagosa Springs, Colorado (Stevens Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 4 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
THE PILOT EXPERIENCING SPATIAL DISORIENTATION AND HIS FAILURE TO MAINTAIN AIRCRAFT CONTROL. FACTORS WERE: THE PILOT'S TOTAL LACK OF INSTRUMENT EXPERIENCE AND DARK NIGHT CONDITIONS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 29, 1992 · about 3:58 am local time
- Place
- Pagosa Springs, Colorado · Stevens Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 175A · all 175As on the register
- Registration
- N7032E · no longer on the register · serial 56532
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE NON INSTRUMENT RATED PILOT DEPARTED RUNWAY 01 ON A DARK CLEAR NIGHT WITH NO MOON. A WITNESS SAID THE AIRPLANE MADE AN IMMEDIATE SHARP LEFT BANK, THEN AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT BANK, FOLLOWED BY ANOTHER LEFT BANK AND AN IMMEDIATE RIGHT BANK. HE THEN LOST SIGHT OF THE AIRPLANE. THE AIRPLANE IMPACTED THE RUNWAY CLEAR ZONE APPROXIMATELY 0.5 MILES BEYOND THE DEPARTURE END OF THE RUNWAY. NO AIRFRAME OR POWERPLANT DISCREPANCIES WERE DISCOVERED.
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: 311 hours in all; 3 in the last 90 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,993 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, August 14, 1992; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,350 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A1A (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Skylarkers, INC.
The flight
- Departed from: 2V1 at 3:58 am
- Destination: FMN Farmington NM
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 1, 6,500 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Visibility: 15 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:47 am from FMN, 75 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N7032E 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.