Cessna 172 N6085A

Summary

On 14 March 1999 at about 01:48 local time, a Cessna 172 registered N6085A was involved in an accident near Gill, Colorado, United States. 2 people were on board and 2 died. The aircraft was destroyed. The NTSB has published a probable cause for this accident; it is quoted in full below.

Date

14 March 1999 at 01:48

Classification

Accident

Location

Gill, Colorado, United States

Coordinates

40.6493, -105.0292

Aircraft

Cessna 172

Registration

N6085A

Category

Airplane

Engines

1

Operator

Not recorded

Operating rule

Part 91: General Aviation

Purpose of flight

Personal

Phase of flight

Not recorded

Route

Greeley → Unknown

Aircraft damage

Destroyed

Weather

VMC

Light

Dusk

NTSB number

DEN99FA051

2 people died.

The pilot's intentional maneuvering at an unwarranted low altitude resulting in a collision with the ground. Factors were the pilot's ostentatious behavioral display and reduced lighting (dusk) conditions.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record. This site does not paraphrase or interpret it.

Read the full NTSB narrative

There were no witnesses to the accident, and no one saw the airplane depart the airport. The pilot's watch had stopped at 6:48. Official sunset occurred at 1803, and civil twilight ended at 1830. The wreckage path began approximately 150 feet east of a small hill and was 270 feet in length. At the beginning of the wreckage path were three ground furrows, dimensionally similar to the airplane's nose and main landing gears. Just beyond were two perpendicular scars, dimensionally similar to the airplane's wings. The crush angle taken from the propeller spinner was 32 degrees. A person who had previously flown with the pilot said he like to do 'roller coaster' drops in which he lifted the nose of the aircraft and let it fall toward the ground. He also like to play games such as 'chase the river,' in which he flew low over a river and raced floating sticks.

Quoted verbatim from the NTSB record.