- Date
- March 11, 2025, 18:10 local (Mar 12, 2025, 00:10 UTC)
- Place
- Paonia, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N45TWJust Superstol
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Status
- Completed
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA
- FAA report
- 20250311001799A
- Case key
- 199843
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 failure to maintain the airplane’s directional control during the takeoff roll.
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 that he taxied his tailwheel airplane onto the runway and locked the tailwheel. He slowly pushed the control stick forward, added power to bring the tail up, and the airplane started to drift to the left. By the time he was able to react, the left tire caught the edge of the runway, and the airplane drifted into a fence. The pilot stated that he was riding the left brake when power was applied and did not remove his foot fully off the brake before the takeoff roll. Both wings, fuselage, and the empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N45TW
- Reported as
- Just Superstol
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- JA512-11-17
- Built
- 2021
- Engine
- Edge Performance Yamaha APEX, 162 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · January 25, 2025 · 0 hours before
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- 7V2 · North Fork Valley, runway 24, 4,500 × 60 ft, asphalt
- Equipment
- Electronic primary flight display, ADS-B, Angle of attack indicator, Auto-pilot, Electronic flight bag or handheld device
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
- 67
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 23, 2024
- Seat
- Left
- Restraint
- 3-point
- Flight hours
- 79 total · 17 in this make and model · 10 as pilot in command
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Dusk
- Wind
- 260° at 13 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 57 °F, dew point 10 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.83 inHg
- Observed at
- KMTJ, 23 nm away
- METAR
- KMTJ 112353Z AUTO 26013G24KT 10SM CLR 14/M12 A2983
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on August 11, 2025, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 2.1 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.