Cessna 172P accident near Englewood, Colorado, January 27, 1992
On January 27, 1992 at about 8:47 pm local time, a Cessna 172P, registered N52872, was substantially damaged in an accident near Englewood, Colorado (Centennia 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
A LOSS OF CONTROL DUE TO THE PILOT'S FAILURE TO FOLLOW PROPER SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF PROCEDURES BY FLYING OUT OF GROUND EFFECT AT AN INADEQUATE AIRSPEED. A FACTOR WAS THE PILOT'S IMPROPER USE OF FLAPS.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- January 27, 1992 · about 8:47 pm local time
- Place
- Englewood, Colorado · Centennia · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172P · all 172Ps on the register
- Registration
- N52872 · no longer on the register · serial 17274625
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE CFI WAS DEMONSTRATING A SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF. AFTER LIFT-OFF THE AIRPLANE SETTLED BACK TO THE RUNWAY, THEN BECAME AIRBORNE AGAIN. CONTROL WAS LOST, AND THE AIRPLANE SETTLED INTO TERRAIN ADJACENT TO THE RUNWAY. NO DISCREPANCIES WERE FOUND DURING THE WRECKAGE EXAMINATION. THE LEFT FLAP WAS FOUND DEPLOYED TO ABOUT 10 DEG DUE TO IMPACT DAMAGE, AND THE FOLLOW-UP CABLE WAS SLACK. THE REMAINDER OF THE FLAP SYSTEM WAS INTACT. THIS IS CONSISTENT WITH FLAPS BEING IN THE UP POSITION AT IMPACT. FLAPS ARE ELECTRICALLY DRIVEN THROUGH A JACK SCREW TO THE RIGHT FLAP. THE LEFT FLAP IS DRIVEN BY A FOLLOW-UP CABLE THROUGH THE RIGHT FLAP JACK SCREW; THEREFORE THE LEFT FLAP CANNOT BE DRIVEN TO A POSITION TO WHICH THE RIGHT FLAP IS NOT DRIVEN. THE RIGHT FLAP WAS FOUND IN THE UP POSITION. THE RECOMMENDED FLAP SETTING FOR A SHORT FIELD TAKEOFF IS 10 DEG. ACCORDING TO THE FAA FLIGHT TRAINING HANDBOOK, DURING SOFT FIELD TAKEOFF THE AIRPLANE CAN BECOME AIRBORNE AT AN AIRSPEED BELOW SAFE CLIMB SPEED DUE TO THE ACTION OF GROUND EFFECT.
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: flight instructor, commercial pilot, flight engineer
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,510 hours in all; 800 in this make and model; 38 in the last 90 days; 6 in the last 30 days; 1,323 as pilot in command; 715 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: 100-hour inspection, January 2, 2000; 37 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-D2J (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: P.C. Flyers, INC.
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 17, 10,000 ft by 100 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 20,000 ft
- Temperature: 39°F (4°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.