- Date
- March 1, 2001, 15:50 local (22:50 UTC)
- Place
- Hudson, CO
- Injuries
- 1 serious
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Enroute
- Aircraft
- N4386WMeshko Zenair CH-701
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report July 30, 2001
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- Parties
- Federal Aviation Administration
- FAA report
- 20010301005659A
- Case key
- 51843
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 loss of engine power as a result of detonation. A contributing factor was the unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing.
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 had just taken off and was climbing at 80 percent power (5,000 rpm) when he noticed the EGT rising "into redline 1,625 degrees F." He leveled off, reduced power to 4,800 rpm, and reduced propeller pitch. EGT stopped rising and came down slightly, but was still above redline. All other engine indications were normal. EGT continued to rise and the engine started losing power and was "running rough." The pilot tried to land at a nearby airport, but was forced to make a landing in an open field. He said he flared at the the last moment and hit the ground sharply. The nose wheel broke off when it struck a tire track and the airplane nosed over. The pilot, who also built the airplane, suspected detonation caused the rise in EGT.
Factual narrative
On March 1, 2001, approximately 1550 mountain standard time, a Meshko-Zenair CH-701, N4386W, was substantially damaged when it collided with the ground during a forced landing in a field north of Platte Valley Airpark, Hudson, Colorado. The private pilot, the sole occupant in the airplane, received serious injuries. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed, and no flight plan was filed for this personal flight being conducted under Title 14 CFR Part 91. The flight had originated at Greeley-Weld County Airport, Greeley, Colorado, at approximately 1530.
According to the pilot's accident report, he had just taken off and was climbing at 80 percent power (5,000 rpm) when he noticed the exhaust gas temperature (EGT) rising "into redline 1,625 degrees F." The pilot leveled off, reduced power to 4,800 rpm, and reduced propeller pitch. The EGT stopped rising and came down slightly, but was still above redline. All other engine indications were normal. EGT continued to rise and the engine started losing power and "running rough." The airplane began losing altitude so the pilot slowed to 45 mph and selected an open field. He flared "at [the] last moment [and] hit [the] ground sharply." The nose wheel ran over a tire track in the ground and was sheared off. The strut dug into the ground and the airplane nosed over.
The pilot, who was also the builder of the airplane, suspected detonation caused the rise in EGT.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N4386W
- Reported as
- Meshko Zenair CH-701
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- 001
- Airframe hours
- 56
- Engine
- Subaru EA 81 150TTB1, 160 horsepower, reciprocating
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Registered owner
- George M. Meshko
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Last inspection
- Annual · February 11, 2001 · 4 hours before
- Departed
- GXY · Greeley, CO
- Destination
- 48V · Erie, CO
- Airport
- 18V · Platte Valley Airpark
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
- 75
- Injuries
- Serious
- Certificates
- Flight instructor, Commercial, Airline transport
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land, Multi-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, Valid Medical--w/ waivers/lim
- Last flight review
- April 14, 2000
- Seat
- Left
- Flight hours
- 24,006 total · 56 in this make and model · 24,006 as pilot in command · 4 in the last 90 days · 4 in the last 30 days
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Wind
- 10° at 17 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility
- 10 statute miles
- Lowest ceiling
- None
- Temperature
- 50 °F, dew point 23 °F
- Altimeter
- 29.79 inHg
- Observed at
- GXY, 26 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.