Cessna 172N accident near Buena Vista, Colorado, May 23, 1993
On May 23, 1993 at about 6:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4881G, was destroyed in an accident near Buena Vista, Colorado (Buena Vista airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A DOWNDRAFT AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO MAINTAIN DIRECTIONAL CONTROL OF THE AIRPLANE. FACTORS WERE: A CROSSWIND AND THE INADVERTENT SELECTION OF ADDITIONAL FLAPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 23, 1993 · about 6:30 pm local time
- Place
- Buena Vista, Colorado · Buena Vista · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4881G · no longer on the register · serial 17273428
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT SAID THAT FROM THE AIR, THE WIND APPEARED TO BE DIRECTLY ACROSS RUNWAY 15 'WITH POSSIBLY A LEFT QUARTERING TAILWIND.' AFTER SELECTING 20 DEGREES OF FLAPS, HE NOTICED HIS AIRSPEED HAD INCREASED FROM 80 KNOTS TO 115 KNOTS. HE CLOSED THE THROTTLE, SLOWED BACK TO 80 KNOTS, AND SELECTED WHAT HE THOUGHT WAS 30 DEGREES OF FLAPS. AS HE FLARED THE AIRPLANE BETWEEN 70 AND 75 KIAS, THE PILOT SENSED HE WAS GOING TOO FAST. THE AIRPLANE WAS THEN 'SHARPLY BLOWN DOWN ONTO THE RUNWAY,' LEFT OF CENTERLINE, AND BOUNCED. HE APPLIED FULL THROTTLE IN AN ATTEMPT TO GO AROUND, AND NOTICED THE FLAP HANDLE WAS IN THE 40 DEGREE DETENT. HE RETRACTED THE FLAPS, BUT THE AIRPLANE DRIFTED OFF THE LEFT SIDE OF THE RUNWAY. HE SAID THE AIRPLANE LIFTED OFF BUT NEVER GOT OUT OF GROUND EFFECT. IT WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, STRUCK A DITCH, AND NOSED OVER.
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: 104 hours in all; 101 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 56 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 2, 2000
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Canon Air Service
The flight
- Departed from: 1V6 Canon City CO at 5:15 pm
- Destination: 7V1
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 9,185 ft by 50 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 250° at 20 knots, gusting 35
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 14,000 ft
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.