On April 23, 1983, a Cessna 172 (registration N4609J) operated by Alpine Flight Services was involved in an aviation accident near Leadville, CO. This summary draws on records from the U.S. National Transportation Safety Board (NTSB) historical archive; 1 related events involving the same aircraft type or operator are linked below.
An aircraft collided with snow-covered rising terrain after stalling while attempting to turn around in a canyon pass. The pilot reported using flaps and a stall warning activated.
Incident Overview
An aircraft collided with snow-covered rising terrain while attempting to fly through a canyon pass. The pilot stated that after seeing the terrain could not be cleared, he attempted to turn around to exit the canyon. During the turn, the aircraft stalled and mushed into the snow.
Flight Details
The pilot had lowered 10 degrees of flaps and reported that the stall warning was active. The computed density altitude at the time was 14,012 feet.
Pilot Comments
In remarks following the incident, the pilot noted that he should have circled longer or carried one less person or less fuel to avoid the situation.
What happened in the 23 Apr 1983 Cessna 172 accident near Leadville, CO?
An aircraft collided with snow-covered rising terrain after stalling while attempting to turn around in a canyon pass. The pilot reported using flaps and a stall warning activated.
What aircraft was involved and where did it happen?
The accident on 23 Apr 1983 involved a Cessna 172, registration N4609J, operated by Alpine Flight Services, at Leadville, CO.
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