Cessna R172K accident near Aurora, Colorado, September 10, 2000
On September 10, 2000 at about 4:30 am local time, a Cessna R172K, registered N1036V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Aurora, Colorado (Front Range airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The unsuitable terrain for a forced landing. Contributing factors were the total loss of engine power due to the failure of the engine oil pump and the dark night light conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 10, 2000 · about 4:30 am local time
- Place
- Aurora, Colorado · Front Range · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries; 3 others were unhurt.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna R172K · all R172Ks on the register
- Registration
- N1036V · no longer on the register · serial R172 2089
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
During the night cross-country flight, the engine started to run rough and then seized. The pilot made an emergency descent and completed a forced landing in a rough field. Upon impact with the ground, the nose gear strut collapsed and buckled the firewall. A post accident engine teardown examination identified that the engine oil pump shaft or 'idler pin' for the driven gear had worked free from its pressed-in position on the accessory case. The movement of the pin allowed it to fracture through the engine oil pump cover plate and come in contact with the tachometer drive gear resulting in the fracture of the tachometer drive gear shaft. The fracture of the tachometer drive shaft resulted in the failure of the engine oil pump resulting in the loss of engine oil pressure and the subsequent total loss of engine power.
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: 95 hours in all; 5 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,709 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, September 3, 2000; 15 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-360K (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 4:00 am
- Destination: FTG Watkins CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 200° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 20,000 ft; clear
- Temperature: 142°F (61°C), dew point 99°F (37°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 4:53 am from APA, 18 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 | |||
| Passengers | 1 | 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.
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.