Cessna 172N accident near Englewood, Colorado, February 12, 1988
On February 12, 1988 at about 11:10 pm local time, a Cessna 172N, registered N4914D, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado. It was a personal 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
- February 12, 1988 · about 11:10 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172N · all 172Ns on the register
- Registration
- N4914D · no longer on the register · serial 17272396
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PRIVATE PLT WAS PRACTICING LANDINGS AT CENTENNIAL AIRPORT, DENVER, COLORADO. RNWY 17L, AN ASPHALT RNWY 8,500 FEET LONG AND 101 FEET WIDE, WAS IN USE. THE PLT REPORTED THAT WHEN HE ATTEMPTED TO ADD POWER ON FINAL APPROACH, THE THROTTLE CABLE WOULD NOT MOVE. SEVERAL ATTEMPTS WERE MADE TO FREE THE THROTTLE TO NO AVAIL. THE ENGINE REMAINED AT 1700 RPM AND THE AIRCRAFT UNDERSHOT THE APPROACH. THE AIRCRAFT IMPACTED ONE QUARTER MILE SHORT OF THE RUNWAY IN A FIELD. A POST ACCIDENT INSPECTION PROVIDED EVIDENCE THAT THE PLASTIC COATING ON THE THROTTLE CABLE HAD DISINTEGRATED. PIECES OF THE COATING WERE FOUND IN THE OUTER HOUSING.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 235 hours in all; 180 in this make and model; 5 in the last 90 days; 220 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,263 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 2,150 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-H2AD (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 300° at 6 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 pm from APA, 3 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.