Cessna 172F accident near Larkspur, Colorado, February 26, 2001
On February 26, 2001 at about 6:44 pm local time, a Cessna 172F, registered N8389U, was substantially damaged in an accident near Larkspur, Colorado (Perry Park airport). It was an instructional flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 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 flight instructor inadvertently stalling the airplane during a forced landing. Contributing factors were fuel exhaustion due to inadvertent opening of the fuel drain, lack of familiarity with the airplane, inadequate supervision of the flight, and the missing strainer spring.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 26, 2001 · about 6:44 pm local time
- Place
- Larkspur, Colorado · Perry Park · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172F · all 172Fs on the register
- Registration
- N8389U · no longer on the register · serial 17252289
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after departure, the flight instructor and his student became cold. The heater control was not in the usual position on the instrument panel (both pilots were accustomed to flying later model Cessna 172s). The student located a "white knob" but could not read the nomenclature plate. Believing it was the heater control, he pulled the knob. Approximately 1.5 hours later, the engine lost power. The instructor assumed control of the airplane and turned towards a private airstrip about 2 miles away. He instructed the student to make emergency radio calls and try restarting the engine. Strong headwinds prevented the airplane from gliding to the runway. The airplane stalled and impacted terrain. The airplane had been aloft for 1.7 hours when the engine lost power. Postaccident inspection disclosed the student had inadvertently pulled the fuel strainer control knob instead of the cabin heat control knob. There were no fuel stains on the bottom of the airplane. The fuel strainer control is spring-loaded to the CLOSED position. Examination disclosed the spring was missing. According to the Cessna 172F SERVICING INTERVALS CHECK LIST, the fuel strainer should be disassembled and cleaned every 100 hours. The last 100 hour inspection performed on N8389U was on December 14, 2000, 85.67 hours before the accident.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 427 hours in all; 221 in this make and model; 77 in the last 90 days; 46 in the last 30 days; 344 as pilot in command; 112 on instruments
- Last flight review: December 21, 2000
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 254 hours in all; 36 in this make and model; 7 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days; 140 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 22, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 5,191 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, December 14, 2000; 89 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-300-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colo. Springs CO at 6:20 pm
- Destination: 1V5 Boulder CO
- Flight plan: VFR
- Runway 16, 5,700 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 120° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: overcast at 22,000 ft; scat at 15,000 ft
- Temperature: 43°F (6°C), dew point 19°F (-7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.12 inHg
- Observation at 6:53 pm from APA, 24 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.