Cessna 182RG accident near Englewood, Colorado, May 24, 1989
On May 24, 1989 at about 5:45 am local time, a Cessna 182RG, registered N999HP, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennial airport). 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
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO FOLLOW WARNINGS PROVIDED BY A NOTAM & FLAGS ON THE TAXIWAY. FACTORS RELATED TO THE ACCIDENT WERE: DARKNESS AND THE DITCH.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 24, 1989 · about 5:45 am local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennial · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182RG · all 182RGs on the register
- Registration
- N999HP · registry record · serial R182-01576
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE PLT MADE AN 'UNEVENTFUL' LANDING ON RWY 17L. HE SAID THAT HE LEFT RWY 17L VIA TAXIWAY A-4, AND TAXIED THROUGH A BREAK IN A ROW OF FLAGS (BETWEEN RWY 17L AND THE DELTA PARKING RAMP). AFTER TRAVELING ABOUT 50 FT ALONG THE TAXIWAY, THE RIGHT MAIN LANDING GEAR ENTERED AN OPEN TRENCH. THE ACFT STOPPED, BUT WITH SOME DIFFICULTY IN STEERING, THE PLT WAS ABLE TO TAXI TO THE PARKING AREA. HE SAID HE SAW NO DAMAGE DURING A POST FLIGHT INSPECTION, BUT WAS NOTIFIED OF THE DAMAGE 10 DAYS LATER. AT THE TIME OF THE ACCIDENT, A NOTAM WAS IN EFFECT, AND THE ATIS CONTAINED A RECORDED WARNING ABOUT THE TAXIWAY CONSTRUCTION. ONLY NORMAL TAXIWAY LIGHTING WAS IN USE, BUT HIGH VISIBILITY CONES AND FLAGS MARKED THE CONSTRUCTION AREA. THIS PLT WAS NOT SCHEDULED OR SPECIFICALLY AUTHORIZED TO FLY THE ACFT.
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: 295 hours in all; 2 in this make and model; 9 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 243 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (expired)
- Seat: unk
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,200 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Lycoming O-540-J3C5D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1W1 Watkins CO at 5:00 am
- Destination: APA
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17L, 10,001 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: night, dark
- Wind: from 150° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 20 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N999HP the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.