- Date
- July 2, 2000, 19:35 local (Jul 3, 2000, 01:35 UTC)
- Place
- Peyton, CO
- Injuries
- 1 fatal
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N42915Rowley P-40F
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report November 1, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- FAA report
- 20000702009949A
- Case key
- 49603
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 inadequate decision to turn back (low altitude) towards the runway for a forced landing. A contributing factor was the total loss of engine power due to a reduction gear failure.
Sequence of events
NTSB’s coding before 2008: each occurrence and phase of flight, and the causes and factors under it. The codes are defined in NTSB’s coding manual.
Analysis
The pilot was performing a low fly-by over runway 33, and as the airplane reached the departure end, the engine lost power. Witnesses said that the pilot made a left turn back towards runway 15. Subsequently the airplane hit wires, impacted terrain, cart wheeled, came to rest against a transmission pole, and burned. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the gear reduction assembly had failed. The pilot had designed and built the airplane in 1986.
Factual narrative
On July 2, 2000, approximately 1935 mountain daylight time, a Rowley P-40F experimental amateur-built (one of a kind) airplane, N42915, was destroyed following impact with terrain during a forced landing at Meadow Lake Airport, Peyton, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant aboard the airplane, was fatally injured. He died on July 4, 2000. The pilot designed, built, and operated the airplane. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed for the Title 14 CFR Part 91 local flight that originated from Meadow Lake Airport at an unknown time. No flight plan had been filed.
Witnesses said that the pilot was performing a low fly-by over runway 33, and as the airplane reached the departure end, the engine became quiet. They said that the pilot made a left turn back towards runway 15. Subsequently the airplane hit wires, impacted terrain, cart wheeled, and came to rest against a transmission pole.
The pilot designed and built the airplane in 1986. The pilot modified the airframe and replaced the engine at some unknown time. Friends and mechanics at the airport said that the pilot worked on the airplane regularly. The airplane was powered by an AMW Cuyuna 808L-100, three cylinder, reed valve, fuel injected, water-cooled, two cycle engine which had a maximum takeoff rating of 100 horsepower at sea level. During maximum power output, it produced 8,000 to 9,000 RPM, this required a gear reduction system for normal propeller operation.
Postaccident examination of the engine and its reduction gear assembly by a mechanic revealed that the gear reduction system had failed.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N42915
- Reported as
- Rowley P-40F
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 0001
- Airframe hours
- 504
- Engine
- Cuyuna 808L-100, 100 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Fire
- On-Ground
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- Richard J. Rowley
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · June 28, 2000 · 1 hours before
- Departed
- 00V
- Airport
- 00V · Meadow Lake Airport, runway 15, 6,000 × 60 ft, asphalt
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
- 62
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Seat
- Front
- Flight hours
- 1,550 total · 1 in the last 24 hours
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 320° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- 11,000 ft broken
- Temperature
- 171 °F, dew point 115 °F
- Altimeter
- 30.00 inHg
- Observed at
- COS, 10 nm away
FAA reports on this event · 1
The FAA’s own accident and incident reports, matched to the aircraft by N-number and date.