Cessna 172 accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado, October 18, 1992
On October 18, 1992 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172, registered N1450U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Colorado Spring, Colorado (Colo. Springs Municipal 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
PROPER DESCENT RATE WAS NOT MAINTAINED BY THE PILOT IN COMMAND WHICH RESULTED IN A HARD LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 18, 1992 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spring, Colorado · Colo. Springs Municipal
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N1450U · registry record · serial 17267117
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE CONDUCTING HER FIRST STUDENT SOLO, THE STUDENT EXPERIENCED A HARD LANDING WHICH DAMAGED THE PROPELLER, NOSE WHEEL ASSEMBLY AND FIRE WALL. THE ACCIDENT WAS NOT REPORTED AND WAS DISCOVERED BY THE FAA DURING A ROUTINE INSPECTION OF A MAINTENANCE FACILITY WHERE THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNDERGOING REPAIR.
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: 11 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 12, 1991; 53 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Peterson Afb Aero Club
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 11,021 ft by 150 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 6 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 61°F (16°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.
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN93LA019.