Cessna 172 accident near Watkins, Colorado, March 17, 2021
On March 17, 2021 at about 9:26 pm local time, a 2015 Cessna 172, registered N786CP, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Watkins, Colorado (Colorado Air And Space Port airport). It was a public-use flight under public-use (government) rules. No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control during takeoff and the instructor pilot’s inadequate supervision of the pilot’s takeoff.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 17, 2021 · about 9:26 pm local time
- Place
- Watkins, Colorado · Colorado Air And Space Port · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2015 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N786CP · registry record · serial 172S11582
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Public-use flight · public-use (government) rules
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The instructor pilot reported that he’d asked the pilot receiving instruction to perform a short field takeoff. During the takeoff, the pilot raised the airplane’s nose early obstructing both pilots’ view over the nose and the airplane drifted to the left. The airplane exited the left side of the runway onto wet, soft ground, nosed down striking the propeller, and then ground looped coming to a stop about 150o from the takeoff direction. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the right wing. The instructor pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Nose over/nose down during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Psychological › Attention/monitoring › Monitoring other person › Instructor/check pilot
Flight instructor
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor, flight engineer, military
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: helicopter; instructor: instrument helicopter; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 26,000 hours in all; 390 in this make and model; 41 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 3,842 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 24, 2020
- Medical certificate: Unknown
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine sea; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane; instrument: helicopter; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 3,459 hours in all; 265 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 1,960 as pilot in command; 429 on instruments
- Last flight review: November 11, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 819.5 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection; 88.5 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 819 hours total
- Operator: Civil Air Patrol
The flight
- Departed from: KAPA Centennial CO at 8:05 pm
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 26, 8,002 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 7,500 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 12:53 pm from KCFO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 2 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on July 15, 2021. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Record of Conversation | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.