Cessna 172L accident near Gunnison, Colorado, May 25, 1999
On May 25, 1999 at about 5:05 pm local time, a Cessna 172L, registered N172KB, was substantially damaged in an accident near Gunnison, Colorado. 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
The pilot's inadvertent stall/mush immediately after takeoff. Factors were the high density altitude weather condition, and the pilot's total lack of experience in type of operation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 25, 1999 · about 5:05 pm local time
- Place
- Gunnison, Colorado
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172L · all 172Ls on the register
- Registration
- N172KB · no longer on the register · serial 17260046
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said that after an engine run-up, he departed on runway 24 using full power. He said that at 'approximately 100 to 150 feet off the surface a vibration began from the engine, immediately began loosing [sic] airspeed, lowered nose to regain airspeed (set some flaps), gradually raised nose of the airplane, (checked settings) lost airspeed, lowered nose again, to regain airspeed, raised nose, continued to lose airspeed, began looking for a place to set down.' He said that he turned left approximately 90 degrees and then left another 45 degrees before he impacted the ground. The pilot reported that he had approximately 93 hours of flight experience, and this was his first flying trip to Colorado. A witness reported that the accident pilot 'porpoised the airplane during takeoff roll, and I could hear his stall warning horn going off.' Postaccident examination of the airplane revealed that the mixture was in the full forward position. At the time of the accident, the density altitude was calculated to be 8,734 feet.
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: 93 hours in all; 25 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,536 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 26, 1999; 64 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GUC at 5:05 pm
- Destination: 2DT Chandler OK
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 52°F (11°C), dew point 36°F (2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 5:05 pm from GUC, 1 miles away
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.
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.