Cessna 172N accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado, September 1, 1995
On September 1, 1995 at about 1:37 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4814F, was destroyed in an accident near Colorado Spgs, Colorado (Colorado Spgs Municipal airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
BLOCKAGE OF THE CARBURETOR BY A PIECE OF FOREIGN MATERIAL, WHICH RESULTED IN A LOSS OF ENGINE POWER, AND FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN AIRSPEED, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. THE HIGH DENSITY ALTITUDE AND THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO PROPERLY LEAN THE FUEL MIXTURE WERE POSSIBLE FACTORS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 1, 1995 · about 1:37 pm local time
- Place
- Colorado Spgs, Colorado · Colorado Spgs Municipal · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4814F · no longer on the register · serial 17273085
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WITNESSES REPORTED THAT THE AIRPLANE DID NOT APPEAR TO BE CLIMBING NORMALLY AFTER TAKEOFF. THE PILOT RECALLED TURNING 'BACK TOWARDS THE RUNWAY.' THE PILOT-RATED PASSENGER RECALLED THERE HAD BEEN A POWER LOSS 'AS IF THE POWER HAD BEEN BROUGHT BACK TO IDLE.' SUBSEQUENTLY, THE LEFT WING DROPPED, AND THE AIRPLANE COLLIDED WITH TERRAIN. THE MIXTURE CONTROL WAS FOUND IN THE FULL RICH POSITION. A 4 INCH BY 3/8 INCH PIECE OF BAFFLE SEAL MATERIAL WAS FOUND NEXT TO THE VENTURI IN THE AIR INTAKE SIDE OF THE CARBURETOR THROAT, LODGED BETWEEN THE ACCELERATOR PUMP DISCHARGE TUBE AND THE POWER JET. THE UNDISTURBED CARBURETOR WAS FACTORY TESTED ON A SIMILAR ENGINE. THE ENGINE OPERATED 'EXTREMELY RICH.' ONE PILOT WHO HAD PREVIOUSLY FLOWN THE AIRPLANE SAID THE ENGINE DID NOT DEVELOP FULL POWER. ANOTHER PILOT-INSTRUCTOR SAID HE NOTICED THE ENGINE REQUIRED 'MORE LEANING' THAN OTHER CESSNA 172S HE HAD FLOWN. ELEVATION AT THE AIRPORT WAS 6172 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: commercial pilot, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,100 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 108 in the last 90 days; 35 in the last 30 days; 671 as pilot in command; 450 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 8,595 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 24, 1995; 7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS at 1:37 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 11,021 ft by 150 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:44 pm from COS
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.
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.