Cessna 172E accident near Peyton, Colorado, July 22, 1999
On July 22, 1999 at about 2:50 pm local time, a Cessna 172E, registered N5696T, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peyton, Colorado (Meadow Lake Airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control of the aircraft during landing touchdown. Factors were the crosswind and the ditch.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 22, 1999 · about 2:50 pm local time
- Place
- Peyton, Colorado · Meadow Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172E · all 172Es on the register
- Registration
- N5696T · no longer on the register · serial 17257596
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot performed two landings on runway 15, then practiced another two landings on runway 33 after the runway was switched. During his final full stop landing on runway 33, he encountered a crosswind during final approach. Immediately after the main wheels touched down, the aircraft encountered a 'strong crosswind,' causing it to exit the runway to the left and onto the grass. The airplane impacted a ditch, sustaining damage to the propeller, engine, nose landing gear, left wingtip, and firewall. Winds reported at the nearest weather reporting facility were from 340 degrees at 8 knots.
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: 24 hours in all; 24 in this make and model; 24 in the last 90 days; 24 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,449 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, June 25, 1966; 99 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 00V at 1:10 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 6,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 340° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 50°F (10°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:54 pm from COS, 10 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.