# Accident 20250713015519A: Just Aircraft Highlander JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER, Mancos, CO, July 13, 2025

- Type: FAA accident report (Accident/Incident Data System), as reported
- Date: July 13, 2025, 19:17 local time
- Place: Mancos, CO
- Airport: Cortez Municipal Airport
- Damage: Substantial damage
- Phase of flight: Takeoff: Climb Out
- Operating rules: General operating rules (Part 91)
- Location: 37.3500° N, 108.2187° W: From the FAA
- Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=37.3500&lon=-108.2187&mi=10
- Aircraft: N970SV, a cancelled registration (https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N970SV-2025-08-26) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry model: Scott Vincin JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER (registry code 05642XW, https://openairdocs.org/model/scott-vincin-just-acft-highlander) (OpenAirDocs)
- Registry engine: Rotax 914ULS (registry code 55552, https://openairdocs.org/engine/rotax-914uls) (OpenAirDocs)
- Reported make and model: JUST AIRCRAFT HIGHLANDER JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER
- Reported engine: ROTAX 914ULS
- People aboard: 2
- Fatal injuries: 0
- Other injuries: 2
- Pilot certificates: Airline transport
- NTSB investigation: [NTSB CEN25LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA251) (OpenAirDocs)
- FAA source: FAA Aviation Safety Information Portal (https://asip.faa.gov/)
- Page: https://openairdocs.org/incident/20250713015519A

## Narrative

As the FAA filed it, in capitals; the FAA replaces private details with ^PRIVACY DATA OMITTED^.

ON 07/13/2025, AN ATP CERTIFICATED PILOT MADE A TAKEOFF FROM A PRIVATE AIRSTRIP 5 NM EAST OF MANCOS, COLORADO. THE PILOT HAD MADE PREVIOUS TAKEOFFS AND LANDINGS ON MULTIPLE OCCASIONS AT THIS AIRSTRIP. THE PILOT WAS FLYING WITH ONE PASSENGER AND APPROXIMATELY 20 GALLONS OF FUEL ONBOARD THE AIRCRAFT AT THE TIME OF TAKEOFF. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THERE WERE NO ISSUES WITH THE AIRCRAFT AND THE FLIGHT CONTROLS WERE CHECKED PRIOR TO TAKEOFF. THE PILOT ADVANCED POWER AND REPORTED THE AIRCRAFT OPERATING PARAMETERS WERE ALL WITHIN NORMAL RANGES. AFTER THE PILOT ACCELERATED AND ROTATED THE AIRCRAFT DURING TAKEOFF, THE PILOT STATED THE AIRCRAFT APPEARED TO CLIMB NORMALLY UNTIL APPROXIMATELY 40 FEET AGL AFTER WHICH CLIMB PERFORMANCE DECREASED SIGNIFICANTLY. THE PLOT STATED THAT HE FELT LIKE THE AIRCRAFT WAS BEING PUSHED TOWARD THE GROUND. THE PILOT REPORTED THAT THE AIRCRAFT WAS UNABLE TO SUSTAIN A CLIMB DURING TAKEOFF, SO HE ESTABLISHED A LANDING ATTITUDE TO BRING THE AIRCRAFT BACK ON THE GROUND. THE AIRCRAFT CONTACTED THE GROUND ON ITS WHEELS, BUT THE RIGHT WINGTIP CONTACTED THE GROUND CAUSING THE AIRCRAFT TO ROTATE TO THE RIGHT. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE AIRCRAFT ROLLED FORWARD AND ENTERED A SMALL GULLY. AFTER ENTERING THE GULLY, THE AIRCRAFT THEN PITCHED FORWARD LANDING UPSIDE DOWN IN THE GULLY. BOTH OCCUPANTS WERE ABLE TO RELEASE THEIR FOUR-POINT HARNESSES AND EXIT THE AIRCRAFT WITH MINOR INJURIES AND SUBSTANTIAL DAMAGE TO THE ENGINE, AIRFRAME, AND PROPELLOR.

## The NTSB's investigation of this event (1)

From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.

- [NTSB CEN25LA251](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/CEN25LA251), Jul 13, 2025: Scott Vincin Just Acft Highlander (N970SV), Mancos, CO, substantial damage. Probable cause: The airplane’s reduced climb performance during takeoff in mountainous terrain, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to climb and impact with terrain.

From the FAA Accident/Incident Data System. Reports are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. For accidents, the NTSB's own investigation is the fuller record.

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