Cessna 172RG accident near Englewood, Colorado, September 27, 2001
On September 27, 2001 at about 7:30 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N9320D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the failure of the dual student to verify that the landing gear was down and locked, and the failure of the flight instructor to adequately supervise the dual student.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 27, 2001 · about 7:30 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N9320D · registry record · serial 172RG1119
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The flight instructor said that he remembered seeing the red transition light of the landing gear position indicator turn off, but does not remember seeing a green down-and-lock light. Both pilots reported that they did not hear a gear warning horn when the throttle was pulled full aft for the landing. The airplane landed with the landing gear in the up position. Postaccident operation of the landing gear system indicated that the system was functioning normally.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 5,086 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 47 in the last 90 days; 13 in the last 30 days; 4,727 as pilot in command; 1,862 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 27, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
Dual student
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 303 hours in all; 5 in this make and model; 32 in the last 90 days; 2 in the last 30 days; 249 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 10, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 7,576 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, August 2, 2001; 62 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Key Lime Air
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 7:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 35L, 7,004 ft by 77 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 9,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.15 inHg
- Observation at 8:15 pm from APA
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
Other NTSB records under N9320D the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number DEN01LA164.