Centennial Airport
Aircraft Accident/Incident Report

Englewood, Colorado 80112
Saturday, December 4, 2004 11:30 MST

NTSB Narrative Summary Released at Completion of Accident

During his third landing, the solo student pilot lost directional control of the airplane. The airplane struck a runway light and taxiway sign and came to rest upright off the left side of the runway. According to the pilot, the approach to runway was normal, and the airplane was aligned with the runway centerline. During the landing, the main landing gears touched down on the runway and then the nose landing gear touched down. Immediately after the nose wheel touched down on the runway, the airplane veered to the left. The pilot attempted to steer the airplane back to the right; however, the airplane did not respond to the pilot's rudder pedal inputs. Examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies with the airframe or nose wheel steering system.

NTSB Probable Cause Narrative

The student pilot's failure to maintain directional control during landing.

Event Information

Type of Event Accident
Event Date 12/4/2004
Event Day of the Week Saturday
Time of Event 1130
Event Time Zone Mountain Standard Time
Event City Englewood
Event State COLORADO
Event Country --
Zipcode of the event site 80112
Event Date Year 2004
Event Date Month 12
MidAir Collision Indicator No
On Ground Collision occurred ? No
Event Location Latitude 393412N
Event Location Longitude 1045057W
Event Location Airport Centennial Airport
Event Location Nearest Airport ID APA
Indicates whether the acc/inc occurred off or on an airport On Airport
Distance from airport in statute miles 0
Degrees magnetic from airport 0
Airport Elevation 5883
Weather Briefing Completeness Unknown
Investigator's weather source Weather Observation Facility
Time of the weather observation 1053 Mountain Standard Time
Direction of event from weather observation facility (degrees) 0
Weather Observation Facility ID APA
Elevation of weather observation facility 5883
Distance of event from weather observation facility (units?) 0
Time Zone of the weather observation MST
Lighting Conditions Day
Lowest Ceiling Height --
Lowest Non-Ceiling Height 20000
Sky/Lowest/Cloud Conditions Few
Sky Condition for Lowest Ceiling None
Visibility Runway Visual Range (Feet) --
Visibility Runway Visual Value (Statute Miles) --
Visibility (Statute Miles) 10
Air Temperature at event time (in degrees celsius) 8
Dew Point at event time (in degress fahrenheit) -7
Wind Direction (degrees magnetic) 120
Variable Wind Indicator Wind direction could be determined
Wind Speed (knots) 3
Wind Velocity Indicator --
Wind Gust Indicator Gusting
Wind Gust (knots) 0
Altimeter Setting at event time (in. Hg) 29.89
Density Altitude (feet) --
Intensity of Precipitation --
METAR weather report --
Event Highest Injury None
On Ground, Fatal Injuries --
On Ground, Minor Injuries --
On Ground, Serious Injuries --
Injury Total Fatal --
Injury Total Minor --
Injury Total None 1
Injury Total Serious --
Injury Total All --
Investigating Agency NTSB
NTSB Docket Number (internal use) 17926
NTSB Notification Source FAA Comm Ctr
NTSB Notification Date Dec 4 2004 12:00AM
NTSB Notification Time 1222
Fiche Number and/or location -used to find docket information DMS
Date of most recent change to record Jul 7 2005 10:33AM
User who most recently changed record NTSB\JOHB
Basic weather conditions Visual Meteorological Cond
FAA District Office Denver, Colorado

Aircraft Involved

Aircraft #1

Aircraft Registration Number N55250
NTSB Number DEN05LA031
Missing Aircraft Indicator --
Federal Aviation Reg. Part Part 91: General Aviation
Type of Flight Plan filed None
Flight plan Was Activated? No
Damage Substantial
Aircraft Fire None
Aircraft Explosion None
Aircraft Manufacturer's Full Name Cessna
Aircraft Model 172P
Aircraft Series Identifier --
Aircraft Serial Number 17275144
Certified Max Gross Weight 2400
Aircraft Category Airplane
Aircraft Registration Class U.S. Registered/U.S. Soil
Aircraft is a homebuilt? No
Flight Crew Seats --
Cabin Crew Seats --
Passenger Seats --
Total number of seats on the aircraft 4
Number of Engines 1
Fixed gear or retractable gear Fixed
Aircraft, Type of Last Inspection Unknown
Date of Last Inspection --
Airframe hours since last inspection --
Airframe Hours --
ELT Installed Yes
ELT Activated No
ELT Aided Location of Event Site No
ELT Type --
Aircraft Owner Name EDB Air Inc.
Aircraft Owner Street Address 24624 SW Gage Rd.
Aircraft Owner City Wilsonville
Aircraft Owner State OR
Aircraft Owner Country USA
Aircraft Owner Zipcode 97070
Operator is an individual? No
Operator Name Flights Inc
Operator Same as Owner? No
Operator Is Doing Business As --
Operator Address Same as Owner? No
Operator Street Address 7355 S Peoria Street Suite 111
Operator City Englewood
Operator State CO
Operator Country USA
Operator Zip code 80112
Operator Code F8IV
Owner has at least one certificate None
Other Operator of large aircraft? --
Certified for Part 133 or 137 Operation --
Operator Certificate Number --
Indicates whether an air carrier operation was scheduled or not --
Indicates Domestic or International Flight --
Operator carrying Pax/Cargo/Mail --
Type of Flying (Per_Bus / Primary) Instructional
Second Pilot on Board No
Departure Point Same as Event Yes
Departure Airport Code APA
Departure City Denver
Departure State CO
Departure Country USA
Departure Time 1045
Departure Time Zone MST
Destination Same as Local Flt crash at destination city
Destination Airport Code APA
Destination City Denver
Destination State CO
Destination Country USA
Specific Phase of Flight Landing
Report sent to ICAO? No
Evacuation occurred No
Date of most recent change to record Apr 26 2005 11:41AM
User who most recently changed record MCBM
Since inspection or accident --
Event Location Runway Number and Location 17L
Runway Length 10002
Runway Width 100
Sight Seeing flight No
Air Medical Flight No
Medical Flight --