- Date
- December 3, 1989, 12:00 local (19:00 UTC)
- Place
- Colorado Spgs, CO
- Injuries
- 4 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Initial climb
- Aircraft
- N6251ECessna 172
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report June 26, 1992
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Case key
- 17872
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot in command attempted a takeoff with the fuel mixture full rich, with a high density altitude, resulting in a partial loss of engine power during initial climb.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The private plt said that during initial climb, the engine seemed to lose power. He elected to make an emerency landing in a field. He said that during landing roll, the plane tipped to the left and the left wing, landing gear, and propeller were damaged. The plt reported that he had not leaned the mixture for this flight. The density altitude was computed to be 8,000 feet. The plt indicated that the plane was loaded to near maximum gross weight. A post-accident inspection showed low compression on one cylinder; 1 magneto was removed, bench tested and shown to be operational. No mechanical evidence was found to explain the reported loss of engine power.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N6251E
- Reported as
- Cessna 172
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 46351
- Airframe hours
- 3,673
- Engine
- Continental O-300-A, 145 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Edward G. Givens, III
- Registered owner
- Edward G Givens
- Airworthiness certificate
- Standard, Normal
- Last inspection
- Annual · October 1, 1989 · 10 hours before
- Departed
- COS · Colorado Spring, CO
- Destination
- COS
- Flight plan
- VFR
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 25
- Certificates
- Private, Commercial, Military, Flight instructor
- Airplane ratings
- Multi-engine land, Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 1, Valid Medical--no waivers/lim.
- Flight hours
- 1,100 total · 60 in this make and model · 120 in the last 90 days · 10 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 20 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point -0 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.00 inHg