Cessna 172N accident near Malaga, CO, October 15, 2010
On October 15, 2010 at about 1:00 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered HK4631, was destroyed in an accident during approach (VFR pattern base) near Malaga (Malaga Airport). It was a flight of an unrecorded kind under non-U.S. private rules. 4 people were killed.
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 15, 2010 · about 1:00 pm local time
- Place
- Malaga, Colombia · Malaga Airport
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 4 people were killed.
- Weather
- not recorded
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- HK4631 · no longer on the register
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Flight of an unrecorded kind · non-U.S. private rules
The NTSB's narrative preliminary · quoted from the NTSB record
On October 15, 2010, about 1300 Universal Coordinated Time (UTC), a Cessna 172N, Columbian registration HK4631, operated by Aerolineas Alas de Columbia, impacted terrain near the town of Malaga, Santander, Columbia. The flight was en route from Lebrija, Santander, Columbia (SKBG) to Malaga Airport (SKLA). The pilot and three passengers were killed. This investigation is under jurisdiction of the Government of Columbia. This report is for informational purposes only and contains information released by the Government of Columbia. For further information contact: Grupo de Investigacion de Accidentes Unidad Administrativa Especial de Aeronautica Civil Avenida Eldorado # 103-23 Bogota, Columbia Telephone: 57-1-2662210
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern base)
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The aircraft
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
The flight
- Departed from: SKBG Lebrija
- Destination: SKLA Malaga
- Flight plan: not recorded
Weather at the time
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 3 |
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.