Cessna 172M accident near Boulder, Colorado, February 6, 1995
On February 6, 1995 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172M, registered N80893, was substantially damaged in an accident near Boulder, Colorado (Boulder Municipal airport). 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 PREMATURE ROTATION.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 6, 1995 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Boulder, Colorado · Boulder Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172M · all 172Ms on the register
- Registration
- N80893 · no longer on the register · serial 17266791
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PILOT RELATED TO A FAA INSPECTOR THAT HE MADE A 'ROLLING TAKEOFF,' SLOWLY INCREASING POWER TO FULL THROTTLE. WHEN THE AIRPLANE ATTAINED AN INDICATED AIRSPEED OF 60 KNOTS, HE FELT THE AIRPLANE WAS NOT ACCELERATING RAPIDLY ENOUGH AND HE ABORTED THE TAKEOFF. HE APPLIED MAXIMUM BRAKING AND THE RIGHT MAIN TIRE BLEW OUT. THE AIRPLANE WENT OFF THE END OF THE RUNWAY, ACROSS THE RUNWAY OVERRUN, WENT DOWN AN EMBANKMENT, AND COLLIDED WITH A DITCH. IN HIS WRITTEN STATEMENT, HE REPORTED THAT AFTER TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE 'HAD INSUFFICIENT POWER TO LEAVE GROUND EFFECT.' HE ALSO INDICATED THAT THERE WERE NO MECHANICAL MALFUNCTIONS.
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: 140 hours in all; 62 in this make and model; 49 in the last 90 days; 5 in the last 30 days; 92 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,827 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 11, 1994; 55 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V5 at 8:30 pm
- Destination: 1V5 CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8R, 4,100 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 290° at 25 knots
- Visibility: 75 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 59°F (15°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 8:45 pm from BJC, 9 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.
Other NTSB records under N80893 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.