Cessna 172K accident near Leadville, Colorado, May 8, 1996
On May 8, 1996 at about 4:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172K, registered N79212, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leadville, Colorado (Lake County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to adequately compensate for the wind conditions and to maintain directional control. Factors were: the gusting cross wind and the pilot's lack of total experience in make and model of aircraft.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 8, 1996 · about 4:20 pm local time
- Place
- Leadville, Colorado · Lake County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172K · all 172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N79212 · registry record · serial 17257966
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was nearing the completion of a cross-country flight. During the landing rollout on the runway 16, the airplane encountered a gust of wind and exited the side of the runway. The airplane subsequently struck a snow bank which sheared off the nose landing gear causing the plane to nose over. The pilot reported that he had 125.8 hours of total flight experience, with 2.7 total hours in the accident airplane make and model of which 1.3 hours were as pilot-in-command. Wind at the time was from 220 at 10 knots with gusts to 21.
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: 126 hours in all; 3 in this make and model; 6 in the last 30 days; 101 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,257 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 3, 1996; 73 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-A4M (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: GWS Glenwood Spgs CO at 3:45 pm
- Destination: LXV
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 6,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 220° at 10 knots, gusting 21
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:43 pm from LXV, 1 miles away
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.