Cessna 172G accident near Gunnison, Colorado, February 9, 1996
On February 9, 1996 at about 9:15 pm local time, a Cessna 172G, registered N4262L, 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
Loss of engine power for undetermined reason(s). The lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing was a related factor.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 9, 1996 · about 9:15 pm local time
- Place
- Gunnison, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172G · all 172Gs on the register
- Registration
- N4262L · no longer on the register · serial 17254331
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise at 13,000 feet msl on a cross-country flight, engine power gradually deteriorated to a total loss of power. The pilot attempted remedial action without effect and made a forced landing in a field approximately 4 miles from an airport. During the landing, the aircraft encountered rough terrain and was damage. An examination of the aircraft fuel, fuel system, air system, engine, and carburetor provided no evidence of abnormalities which would cause a loss of power. The pilot had the same experience with this aircraft approximately six months earlier in the same area and landed the aircraft in a field without damage.
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: 132 hours in all; 121 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 109 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,364 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, November 1, 1995; 11 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 3CO0 Delta CO at 9:00 pm
- Destination: 0V2 Salida CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 16°F (-9°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from GUC, 4 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 N4262L 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.