Cessna 172 accident near Englewood, Colorado, September 11, 2024
On September 11, 2024 at about 3:40 pm local time, a 2020 Cessna 172, registered N20747, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Englewood, Colorado. It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A partial loss of engine power due to fuel-oil contamination of the fuel injection servo.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 11, 2024 · about 3:40 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 1 other was unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172 S, built 2020 · all 172s on the register
- Registration
- N20747 · registry record · serial 172S12578
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While performing touch-and-go landings, the flight instructor and student pilot noticed a partial loss of engine power on climbout, about 200 ft above ground level (agl). The flight instructor reported the tachometer read 2,100 and then 1,600 rpm. During a forced landing to a golf course, the airplane’s nose landing gear collapsed and the airplane came to rest inverted. A postimpact test of the engine’s fuel injection servo found fuel flow below the minimum service limit at most test points. When the servo was disassembled, a thick blue liquid consistent with a fuel-oil mixture was found in the venturi chambers. Oil residue was noted in the hex plug and air diaphragm, the spring and stem assembly, and the air passage to the air diaphragm. No other anomalies were detected with the engine. A service bulletin from the fuel injection servo manufacturer states that this type of contamination could cause an engine to exhibit “gradually deteriorating idle, difficulty starting and/or cold engine acceleration performance.” The flight school was aware of the service bulletin and was inspecting airplanes that had the engine symptoms listed in the service bulletin. It is likely that contamination of the fuel injection servo resulted in a partial loss of engine power and subsequent forced landing.
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 engine power (partial) during initial climb
- Off-field or emergency landing during initial climb
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
- Powerplant sys/comp malf/fail during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine fuel and control › Fuel control/carburetor › Damaged/degraded
Pilot
- Certificate: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 720 hours in all; 607 in this make and model; 283 in the last 90 days; 64 in the last 30 days; 675 as pilot in command; 432 on instruments
- Last flight review: March 6, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Flight time: 18 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 18 in the last 90 days; 18 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,448 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 28, 2024; 65 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360-L2A (piston); 1,057 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; a few clouds at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.02 inHg
- Observation at 9:53 am from KAPA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAPA 111553Z 30007KT 10SM FEW130 BKN220 22/04 A3002 RMK AO2 SLP095 T02220039
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
8 documents, released by the NTSB on May 8, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Engine Examination Summary | PDF, 7 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Fuel Servo Examination Summary | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 5 | Maintenance Log Entries | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 6 | Service Information | PDF, 6 pages | View Download |
| 7 | Record of Conversation Strohl | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 8 | Party Forms | PDF, 2 pages | 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.