- Date
- June 27, 2021, 10:20 local (16:20 UTC)
- Place
- Ellicott, CO
- Injuries
- 2 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N7714ECurnutt Elton E SKY Ranger B
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Loss of control in flight
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- Denver FSDO
- FAA report
- 20210627008619A
- Case key
- 103351
From the NTSB’s public API. By law, NTSB reports can’t be used as evidence in lawsuits over the accident.
On this page
Probable cause
The pilot’s loss of control while maneuvering at low altitude.
Findings · 2
NTSB’s coded findings. Those marked are part of the probable cause; the rest are factors or other findings. Under each, the cases with the same finding.
Sequence of events
The events NTSB coded, in order, by phase of flight. The defining event is the one that best describes the accident. Under each, the cases with the same event anywhere in their sequence.
Analysis
The pilot reported the flight’s purpose was to fly “low and slow” over the riverbed for a ceremony. During a left turn initiated about 250 ft above ground level, the pilot noticed a sink rate develop. The pilot applied full power, but the sink rate continued, and the airplane struck a tree that resulted in substantial damage to both wings and the fuselage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N7714E
- Reported as
- Curnutt Elton E SKY Ranger B
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- SKR 0503 573
- Built
- 2005
- Airframe hours
- 682
- Engine
- Rotax 912ULS, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Curnutt David L
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental light sport (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · June 28, 2020 · 19 hours before
- Departed
- KFLY · Peyton, CO
- Destination
- KFLY · Peyton, CO
- Equipment
- ADS-B, Airframe parachute
Matched to the registry by N-number and the event date; the registry’s history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model.
Flight crew
As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names.
- Role
- Pilot
- Age
- 65
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Last flight review
- July 16, 2020
- Seat
- Right
- Restraint
- 4-point
- Flight hours
- 662 total · 662 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 8 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 340° at 5 knots
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 10,000 ft overcast
- Temperature
- 61 °F, dew point 46 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.28 inHg
- Observed at
- KABH, 8 nm away
- METAR
- KABH 271558Z AUTO 34005KT 10SM SCT070 OVC100 16/08 A3028 RMK AO2 SLP206 T01580078
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on September 9, 2021, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 4.2 MB in all.
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.