Cessna 172N accident near Livermore, Colorado, June 11, 1993
On June 11, 1993 at about 1:20 am local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4829E, was substantially damaged in an accident near Livermore, Colorado. 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 PARTIAL POWER LOSS WHEN THE ROCKER BOX FOR ONE CYLINDER DISENGAGED. A FACTOR WAS: UNSUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 11, 1993 · about 1:20 am local time
- Place
- Livermore, Colorado · 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
- N4829E · registry record · serial 17271668
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A LOCAL AREA PERSONAL FLIGHT, THE ENGINE RPM DROPPED FROM 2,300 TO 1,400 RPM FOLLOWED BY ENGINE VIBRATION. THE PILOT ELECTED TO LAND ON THE ONLY ROAD IN THE AREA WHICH CONTAINED A 40 DEGREE RIGHT TURN ALONG THE LANDING ROLL PATH. AS THE AIRCRAFT NEGOTIATED THE TURN, THE RIGHT WING STRUCK A FENCE POST AND THE AIRCRAFT SPUN INTO A DITCH. EXAMINATION REVEALED A FAILURE OF THE RIGHT FORWARD CYLINDER VALVE ROCKER BOX EXHAUST STUD WHICH BACKED OUT AND PREVENTED THE INTAKE VALVE FROM WORKING PROPERLY.
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: commercial pilot, military, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: helicopter; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 1,645 hours in all; 23 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,925 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 5, 1993; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Northern Colorado Air Charter
The flight
- Departed from: 3V5 Ft.Collins CO
- Destination: 3V5
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 110° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:15 am from FNL, 20 miles away
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.
Other NTSB records under N4829E 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.