Cessna 152 accident near Englewood, Colorado, June 9, 1984
On June 9, 1984 at about 8:00 pm local time, a Cessna 152, registered N5420P, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Arapahoe CO 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 November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 9, 1984 · about 8:00 pm local time · cases in 1984
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Arapahoe CO · cases near this airport
- 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
- N5420P · registry record · serial 15284942
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
AFTER RECEIVING CLEARANCE TO RWY 16L, THE PLT BEGAN TAXIING THRU A CONGESTED AREA WHERE THE TAXIWAY & AN ARPT ROAD WERE ROUTED THRU A HANGAR/PARKING AREA. IN THAT AREA, THE ROADWAY WAS ADJACENT TO THE TAXIWAY & TO THE RIGHT OF THE PLT AS HE WAS TAXIING. THE DRIVER OF A FUEL TRUCK HAD TEMPORARILY PARKED IN THE ROAD WHILE DELIVERING A FUEL SLIP INSIDE A BUILDING. THE PLT STOPPED TO BE SURE THE TRUCK WAS NOT ABOUT TO BE BACKED UP INTO THE TAXIWAY, THEN HE STARTED TO PASS. AT THE SAME TIME, SOMEONE DRIVING A CAR CAME OUT BETWEEN 2 HANGARS ON THE LEFT. THE CAR TURNED LEFT, & ACCORDING TO THE PLT, 'CAME UP & UNDER THE LEFT WING. IN ORDER TO AVOID A COLLISION, THE PLT STEERED BACK TO THE RIGHT & THE RIGHT WING TIP HIT THE FUEL TRUCK. THE DRIVER OF THE CAR CONTINUED & WAS NOT IDENTIFIED.
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: 29 hours in all; 29 in the last 90 days; 6 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,097 hours
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, May 21, 1984; 12 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,700 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 64°F (18°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:50 pm from APA
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.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N5420P on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Cessna 152 1,636 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Cessna 72,678 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-L2C 84 aircraft carry this series today · as the NTSB recorded it
- Centennial Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,486 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/DEN84LA174.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.