Cessna 172N accident near Ely, Nevada, February 23, 2003
On February 23, 2003 at about 4:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N9885J, was substantially damaged in an accident near Ely, Nevada (Ely Airport (Yelland Field)). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's failure to maintain adequate terrain clearance while flying in a box canyon.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 23, 2003 · about 4:30 pm local time
- Place
- Ely, Nevada · Ely Airport (Yelland Field) · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N9885J · no longer on the register · serial 17273948
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During a cross-country flight in clear weather conditions, the airplane collided with mountainous terrain in a box canyon. The pilot and passenger were flying from Colorado to California. The airplane came to rest on a snowy slope of about 25 degrees on the south side of a canyon, about 300 to 400 feet below the top of the overlying ridgeline. The canyon was contoured in an east/west direction, with rising terrain to the west, north, and south. The energy path depicted in the ground scars and wreckage debris distribution was easterly, opposite the expected direction of flight and toward lower terrain. A study of weather conditions and satellite imagery showed that the skies were clear and visibilities unrestricted. Considering the mountainous terrain and winds aloft, light to moderate turbulence below 15,000 feet was possible. The pilot survived the accident but succumbed to his injuries and environmental exposure sometime later. A plastic bag of marijuana was on the pilot and two bags of marijuana were on the passenger. Toxicology reports of both the pilot and passenger were positive for tetrahdrocannabinol (the active substance in marijuana) and tetrahdrocannabinol carboxylic acid (an inactive metabolite of marijuana). It was not possible to determine exactly how long the pilot survived after the accident, and therefore, it was not possible to determine whether the pilot last used marijuana before or after the accident. A post accident examination revealed no evidence of premishap mechanical malfunction or failure of the engine and airframe. The density altitude at the accident site was calculated to be just over 6,000 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: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 100 hours in all; 95 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,324.1 hours
- Last inspection: continuous airworthiness programme, January 1, 2003; 33.5 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: RIL Rifle CO at 1:30 pm
- Destination: 048 Little River CA
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 32°F (0°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.86 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 pm from ELY, 29 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.
Other NTSB records under N9885J 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.