Cessna 172N accident near Boulder, Colorado, November 20, 1991
On November 20, 1991 at about 5:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N80893, 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; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN CLEARANCE FROM THE SIGN.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- November 20, 1991 · about 5:10 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal · 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
- N80893 · no longer on the register · serial 17266791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITH THE EXCEPTION OF THE FIRST RUNWAY TURNOFF, ALL RUNWAY TURNOFFS WERE SUPPOSED TO BE BARRICADED CLOSED FOR TAXIWAY MAINTENANCE. THE PILOT LANDED BUT WAS UNABLE TO EXIT AT THE FIRST TURNOFF. THE SECOND TURNOFF WAS BARRICADED CLOSED. THE PILOT TAXIED TO THE END OF THE RUNWAY AND FOUND THIS TURNOFF WAS NOT BARRICADED. IT SHOULD HAVE BEEN. THE PILOT TAXIED BACK TOWARDS BACK OF THE AREA OF THE FIRST TURNOFF, HE FOUND THE TAXIWAY WAS BARRICADED. HE SAW A SMALL DIRT ROAD EXITING THE TAXIWAY AND THOUGHT IT WAS A TEMPORARY TAXIWAY ERECTED BY THE MAINTENANCE CREW. WHILE TAXIING TOWARDS THE RAMP ON THIS ROAD, THE AIRPLANE'S RIGHT WING STRUCK A SIGN. THE AIRPLANE SPUN AROUND AND THE TAIL STRUCK A BARBED WIRE FENCE.
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: 66 hours in all; 66 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 43 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no 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: Dakota Ridge Aviation
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- 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 N80893 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.