- Date
- June 27, 2024, 12:30 local (18:30 UTC)
- Place
- Ellicott, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N10ZRDesert Fox 1
- Defining event
- Takeoff-rejected takeoff: Runway excursion
- 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
- FAA FSDO
- FAA report
- 20240627008189A
- Case key
- 194578
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 decision to takeoff with a quartering tailwind and high density altitude which resulted in a runway overrun. Contributing to the accident was the failure of the right main axle mount due to the poor weld.
Findings · 3
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 that the airplane felt “sluggish” during the takeoff roll and the airplane bounced down the dirt runway. He said that he aborted the takeoff, the airplane would not turn right, and the airplane overran the end of the runway. Subsequently, the landing gear strut dug into the ground, and the airplane nosed over. The airplane’s fuselage, wings, and empennage were substantially damaged. An FAA inspector that responded to the accident reported that there was evidence of nine impact points from the right main wheel along the runway for about 60% of the runway length. Post accident examination of the airplane revealed that the right main landing gear axle mount had separated from the landing gear leg due to insufficient penetration of its weld. The insufficient weld likely reduced the overall strength of the landing gear, which resulted in its separation during the takeoff roll. About the time of the takeoff from runway 17L, density altitude was about 9,700 ft and the nearest reported winds 9 miles northwest of the accident site were from 270° at 11 knots gusting to 14 knots.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N10ZR
- Reported as
- Desert Fox 1
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 01
- Built
- 2019
- Airframe hours
- 21
- Engine
- Continental O200A, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · November 10, 2023 · 10 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- CO4 · Colorado Springs East, runway 17L, 4,500 × 42 ft, gravel
- Equipment
- ADS-B
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
- 79
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Sport pilot, Unknown
- Last flight review
- January 15, 2023
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 280 total · 21 in this make and model · 280 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 270° at 11 knots, gusting 14
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 88 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.06 inHg
- Observed at
- KFLY, 9 nm away
- METAR
- KFLY 271835Z AUTO 27011G14KT 10SM SCT120 31/07 A3006 RMK AO2 T03120073
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on October 22, 2024, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 11.9 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.