Cessna 152 accident near Englewood, Colorado, March 10, 1983
On March 10, 1983 at about 10:10 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N46546, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Arapahoe airport). It was an instructional 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
The NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 1983 · about 10:10 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Arapahoe · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 152 · all 152s on the register
- Registration
- N46546 · no longer on the register · serial 15283070
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT PILOTED BY A SOLO STUDENT RAN OFF THE RUNWAY AND NOSED OVER IN A SNOW BANK DURING LANDING. THE PILOT WAS PRACTICING SHORT FIELD LANDINGS. THE ACCIDENT OCCURRED DURING THE FIRST TOUCH AND GO. THE LANDING WAS GOOD AND THE PILOTRETRACTED FLAPS TO 10 DEGREES, ADDED POWER, AND AS THE AIRCRAFT ACCELERATED, IT STARTED TO VEER LEFT. THE PILOT SAID THERE WAS NO RESPONSE TO RUDDER AND HE DID NOT USE RIGHT BRAKE. THE AIRCRAFT LEFT THE RUNWAY, THE WHEELS DUG IN, AND THEAIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. THE RUNWAY IN USE WAS 16 AND THE WIND WAS 130 DEGREES AT NINE KNOTS. AN INVESTIGATOR FOUND THE LEFT WHEEL DIFFICULT TO ROTATE AT THE SCENE AFTER THE ACCIDENT. AN EXAMINATION OF THE BRAKE SYSTEM SHOWED NO EVIDENCE OF A MALFUNCTION.
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: student
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 80 hours in all; 79 in this make and model; 4 in the last 90 days; 20 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,266 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, March 4, 1983; 6 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,670 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-62C (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Tiger Air Denver
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 10:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 16, 8,500 ft by 101 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 9 knots
- Visibility: 60 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 45°F (7°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 10:06 pm from APA, 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.
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.