Cessna 172RG accident near Leadville, Colorado, June 6, 1996
On June 6, 1996 at about 6:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9431D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Leadville, Colorado (Lake County airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people were seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
Inadequate preflight planning and preparation and failure to follow aircraft operating procedures and directives. Factors were high density altitude, inadequate training of the flight instructor and insufficient standards and requirements for flight instructor training in mountain flying.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 6, 1996 · about 6:20 pm local time
- Place
- Leadville, Colorado · Lake County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people were seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9431D · registry record · serial 172RG1159
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Before takeoff from a high altitude (9,927 feet above msl, 12,400 feet density altitude) airport on a mountain flying training flight, the CFI noted that the airport elevation was higher than the takeoff data charts provided for. During takeoff, the aircraft was rotated and settled back to the ground three times during takeoff roll. On the fourth rotation, which was at the departure end of the runway, the aircraft became airborne and descended down the side of an incline where it struck a power line and came to rest in a flat rocky area. All three occupants exited the aircraft with injuries. The investigation provided information that the airport elevation was above the highest altitude provided on the takeoff data charts, the mixture was not leaned in accordance with the procedures in the manual, and the flaps were not set in the proper setting for the type of takeoff being conducted. In addition, the investigation provided information that the flight instructor had received no formal mountain flying training, that there are no FAA approved mountain flying training courses, and to act as an instructor in mountain flying no specialized training is required.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,070 hours in all; 10 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 15 in the last 30 days; 1,620 as pilot in command; 540 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4,216 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, April 24, 1996; 49 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Altitudes Flight Training, INC
The flight
- Departed from: LXV CO at 6:10 pm
- Destination: APA Englewood CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 34, 6,400 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 12 knots, gusting 16
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 5,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 6:25 pm from LXV, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| 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.
Other NTSB records under N9431D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number FTW96LA238.