Cessna 172P accident near Fort Collins, Colorado, April 8, 2000
On April 8, 2000 at about 3:30 am local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N65312, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fort Collins, Colorado (Loveland/Fort Collins airport). It was a personal 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
On ground loss of control resulting in collision with airport markings due to inadequate compensation for wind conditions during landing roll. Factors were inaccurate in flight planning by landing with a tail wind component and lack of total pilot experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2000 · about 3:30 am local time
- Place
- Fort Collins, Colorado · Loveland/Fort Collins · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N65312 · no longer on the register · serial 17275728
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
At the destination airport on a cross-country flight, the pilot was conducting a practice ILS approach to runway 33. The wind was from 180 degrees at 8 knots. Upon touch down, the aircraft swerved to the right, departed the side of the runway, and struck runway lights and a runway/taxiway sign. Damage was done to the right horizontal stabilizer, empennage, and main landing gear. The pilot had 84 hours total flight time and 55 hours as pilot in command.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 84 hours in all; 84 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 55 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,953 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, March 31, 2000; 9 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-B2J (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LIC Limon CO at 2:30 am
- Destination: FNL
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 8,500 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 180° at 8 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 30°F (-1°C), dew point 16°F (-9°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 3:55 am from FNL, 1 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
Other NTSB records under N65312 the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.