# NTSB DEN83FA214: Cessna R172K, N758PB, Silverton, CO, September 8, 1983

- Type: NTSB accident investigation
- Classification: Accident · Fatal · Field investigation · Final report
- Date: September 8, 1983, 06:30 local (12:30 UTC)
- Place: Silverton, CO
- Coordinates: 37.820663, -107.640235 (estimated)
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.8207&lon=-107.6402&mi=10
- Phase of flight: [Enroute](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/400) (OpenAirDocs' grouping)
- Highest injury: Fatal
- Injuries: 1 fatal
- Status: Completed
- Report: Approved by Office Director
- NTSB case key (mKey): 16000
- NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN83FA214
- NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/16000/pdf
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN83FA214

## Sequence of events

In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf).

- In flight encounter with weather, cruise - normal
  - flight into known adverse weather - initiated, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - lack of total instrument time, pilot in command (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - clouds (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - low ceiling (contributing factor)
  - weather condition - obscuration (contributing factor)
  - vfr flight into imc - continued, pilot in command (cause)
- Loss of control - in flight, cruise
  - aircraft handling - not maintained, pilot in command (cause)
  - spatial disorientation, pilot in command (cause)
- In flight collision with terrain/water, descent - uncontrolled
  - terrain condition - mountainous/hilly (contributing factor)

## Analysis

THE PLT DEPARTED LONGMONT, CO AT ABOUT 0520 MDT. AT 0617 MDT, HE CONTACTED THE DENVER EN ROUTE FLT ADVISORY SERVICE & RECEIVED WX INFO. THE LOCATION OF THE ACFT AT THAT TIME WAS NOT DETERMINED. NO FURTHER RADIO COMMUNICATIONS WERE RECEIVED FROM THE PLT. A SEARCH WAS INITIATED WHEN THE ACFT DID NOT ARRIVE AT ITS DESTINATION. IT WAS FOUND ON 9/9/83 WHERE IT IMPACTED IN MOUNTAINOUS TERRAIN AT AN ELEVATION OF ABOUT 12,500 FT. IMPACT OCCURRED ON STEEP, ROCKY TERRAIN. AN EXAM OF THE WRECKAGE REVEALED THE ACFT HAD CRASHED IN A RIGHT WING LOW, NOSE DOWN ATTITUDE WHILE AT A HIGH RATE OF SPEED. NO EVIDENCE OF A PREIMPACT/MECHANICAL MALFUNCTION OR FAILURE WAS FOUND. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESSES. HOWEVER, PERSONNEL IN THE VICINITY STATED THAT THE SKY WAS OVERCAST, CLOUD BASES WERE AT ABOUT 10,000 FT, THE MOUNTAINS WERE OBSCURED & LIGHT DRIZZLE WAS FALLING.

## Aircraft

- Registration: [N758PB](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N758PB-1983-11-09), registration cancelled 1983-11-09, S/N R1723242 (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: CESSNA R172K
- Registry model: [Cessna R172K](https://openairdocs.org/model/cessna-r172k) (registry code 2072431) (OpenAirDocs)
- Category: Airplane
- Serial number: R1723242
- Airframe hours: 1577
- Engines: CONTINENTAL IO-360-KB 195 horsepower reciprocating
- Damage: Destroyed
- Flight: Business, Part 91
- Registered owner: Clifford Judson
- Airworthiness certificate: Standard, Normal
- Last inspection: 100 hour, August 1, 1983, 77 hours before
- Departed: 2V2, LONGMONT, CO
- Destination: DRO, DURANGO, CO
- Flight plan: VFR

## Flight crew

As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.

- Pilot; age 51; private; airplane ratings: single-engine land; medical: class 3, valid medical--no waivers/lim.; seat: left; flight hours: 196 total, 36 in this make and model, 127 as pilot in command, 6 in the last 90 days, 1 in the last 24 hours

## Weather

- Conditions: Instrument (IMC), Day
- Wind: 260° at 17 knots

## FAA reports on this event (1)

The FAA's own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date (OpenAirDocs).

- [Accident 19830908047829A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/19830908047829A), Sep 8, 1983: Cessna R172K, Silverton, CO, Destroyed. Aircraft crashed in mountaineous terrain at the 12500 foot level. Mountain tops were obscured.

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

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