Cessna 182E accident near Erie, Colorado, December 12, 1995
On December 12, 1995 at about 2:57 pm local time, a Cessna 182E, registered N9376X, was destroyed in an accident near Erie, Colorado. It was a ferry flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
inadequate preflight by the pilot, by failing to properly remove water and other contamination from the fuel system before the flight. Factors relating to the accident were: deteriorated seals at the fuel filler neck/caps, and the annual inspection was overdue.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 12, 1995 · about 2:57 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cessna 182E · all 182Es on the register
- Registration
- N9376X · no longer on the register · serial 18253776
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Ferry flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he drained 'all moisture and foreign material' from the airplane's fuel sumps on the day before, and on the day of, the accident. The engine lost power shortly after takeoff and the airplane collided with terrain during the ensuing forced landing. Postaccident examination disclosed water and other contaminants in the fuel system. Also, the seals around the fuel tank filler necks and caps were deteriorated.
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
- Flight time: 597 hours in all; 248 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,424 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, September 12, 1993; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,800 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental O-470-R (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V at 2:57 pm
- Destination: CO12 Brighton CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 0
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 110° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 39°F (4°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.
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.