Cessna 172RG accident near Elbert, Colorado, April 28, 1992
On April 28, 1992 at about 3:20 pm local time, a Cessna 172RG, registered N5282V, was substantially damaged in an accident near Elbert, Colorado. 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
FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT LEFT ACCESSORY GEAR WHICH RESULTED IN A COMPLETE POWER LOSS. A FACTOR WAS: LACK OF SUITABLE TERRAIN FOR A FORCED LANDING.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 28, 1992 · about 3:20 pm local time
- Place
- Elbert, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 172RG · all 172RGs on the register
- Registration
- N5282V · registry record · serial 172RG0492
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Instructional flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE IN CRUISE FLIGHT AFTER BEING AIRBORNE APPROXIMATELY ONE HOUR A TOTAL LOSS OF POWER OCCURRED. A FORCED LANDING WAS CONDUCTED TO TERRAIN WHICH WAS ROUGH AND UNEVEN. DURING LANDING ROLL THE AIRCRAFT NOSED OVER. INVESTIGATION REVEALED A MECHANICAL FAILURE OF THE CRANKSHAFT LEFT ACCESSORY DRIVE GEAR.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,450 hours in all; 200 in this make and model; 120 in the last 90 days; 70 in the last 30 days; 2,400 as pilot in command; 2,060 on instruments
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 3,127 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 10, 1992; 86 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,650 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-360-F1A6 (piston); 0 hours total
- Operator: Aspen Air Corporation
The flight
- Departed from: APA Englewood CO at 2:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 010° at 12 knots
- Visibility: 50 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 25,000 ft
- Temperature: 61°F (16°C), dew point 39°F (4°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.