Parks FOKKER D-VII REPLICA accident near Englewood, Colorado, August 22, 2025
On August 22, 2025 at about 2:44 pm local time, a 1979 Parks FOKKER D-VII REPLICA, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N18852, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). It was a positioning flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A malfunction of the tailwheel which resulted in a runway excursion and ground loop.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 22, 2025 · about 2:44 pm local time · cases in 2025
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Parks FOKKER D-VII REPLICA, built 1979, amateur-built
- Registration
- N18852 · registry record · serial 20
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Positioning flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that during the landing roll the tailwheel malfunctioned, which resulted in a runway excursion and ground loop. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the upper left wing and lower right wing. The pilot submitted a photo taken just before touch down that showed the tailwheel not locked into position and was deflected to the left as the rudder was deflected to the right.
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
- Sys/Comp malf/fail (non-power) during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft systems › Landing gear system › Nose/tail landing gear › Malfunction other cases naming the landing gear
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,371 hours in all; 10.2 in this make and model; 114.4 in the last 90 days; 40.2 in the last 30 days; 1,312.4 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: September 14, 2023
- Medical certificate: BasicMed
- Seat: sngl
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 16, 2025
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Ranger 6-440-C5 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 18V Hudson CO at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 10/2, 4,800 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 360° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; a few clouds at 7,000 ft
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 39°F (4°C)
- Altimeter: 30.38 inHg
- Observation at 8:53 am from KAPA, 1 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAPA 221453Z 36004KT 10SM FEW070 SCT120 BKN220 22/09 A3026 RMK AO2 SLP165 T02220094 53005
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Accident site
Photograph 2 – Accident site
Photograph 3 – Tailwheel position before landingThe 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
2 documents, released by the NTSB on October 23, 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, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 4 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N18852 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Parks 6 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Ranger 6-440-C5 · as the NTSB recorded it
- Centennial Airport · nearest airport
- Platte Valley Airpark · departed from
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 384 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,455 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN25LA333.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.