- Date
- September 30, 2025, 11:00 local (17:00 UTC)
- Place
- Longmont, CO
- Injuries
- 1 minor
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Takeoff
- Aircraft
- N25SUSukhoi SU-26MX
- Defining event
- Takeoff: Loss of control on ground
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report March 13, 2026
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Investigation class
- Class 4 - Basic report with no Prelim publish
- NTSB office
- Central Region
- Parties
- FAA-FSDO
- FAA report
- 20250930016839A
- Case key
- 201792
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 directional control during takeoff.
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 during the takeoff roll about 50 mph, the airplane veered to the left of the runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct back to the right; however, the airplane continued to the left, exited the left side of the runway, and then momentarily became airborne. Subsequently, the left wing struck the ground which resulted in substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that he might have attempted the takeoff with the tailwheel in the unlocked position.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N25SU
- Reported as
- Sukhoi SU-26MX
- Category
- Airplane
- Serial number
- 5204
- Built
- 1991
- Airframe hours
- 405
- Engine
- Veeleneev M14P, 400 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Condition · April 10, 2025
- Destination
- Same as departure
- Airport
- LMO · Vance Brand, runway 11, 4,799 × 75 ft, concrete
- 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
- 76
- Injuries
- Minor
- Certificate
- Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 2, With waivers/limitations
- Last flight review
- May 25, 2025
- Seat
- Center
- Restraint
- 5-point
- Flight hours
- 22,202 total · 15 in this make and model · 11 in the last 90 days · 9 in the last 30 days · 0 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- Calm
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 68 °F, dew point 45 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.12 inHg
- Observed at
- KLMO
- METAR
- METAR KLMO 301655Z AUTO 00000KT 10SM CLR 20/07 A3012 RMK AO2 T02020073=
Docket · 3
The files NTSB released with the investigation on March 13, 2026, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 5.5 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.