# NTSB DEN03LA037: Rothrock Cozy Mark IV, N320FR, Erie, CO, January 26, 2003 - Type: NTSB accident investigation - Classification: Accident · Minor injuries · Limited investigation · Final report - Date: January 26, 2003, 15:14 local (22:14 UTC) - Place: Erie, CO - Coordinates: 40.009445, -105.047225 - Nearby events: https://openairdocs.org/map.md?lat=40.0094&lon=-105.0472&mi=10 - Phase of flight: [Landing](https://openairdocs.org/ntsb-phases/550) (OpenAirDocs' grouping) - Highest injury: Minor injuries - Injuries: 2 minor - Status: Completed, report August 26, 2003 - Report: Approved by Office Director - Parties: Federal Aviation Administration - NTSB case key (mKey): 56409 - NTSB case page: https://web.ntsb.gov/investigations/?ntsbnumber=DEN03LA037 - NTSB report (PDF, downloads): https://data.ntsb.gov/carol-repgen/api/Aviation/ReportMain/GenerateNewestReport/56409/pdf - NTSB docket: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56409 - Page: https://openairdocs.org/ntsb/DEN03LA037 ## Probable cause The pilot's failure to maintain aircraft control during landing. Contributing factors were the high crosswinds and the gusts. ## Sequence of events In NTSB's coding before 2008 (https://www.ntsb.gov/GILS/Documents/codman.pdf). - Loss of control - in flight, landing - aircraft control - not maintained, pilot in command (cause) - weather condition - crosswind (contributing factor) - weather condition - high wind (contributing factor) - weather condition - gusts (contributing factor) - Nose over, landing ## Analysis While landing on runway 33, the airplane encountered a strong crosswind. The airplane departed the right side of the runway. The pilot said the wing caught and the airplane flipped over on its back. An examination of the airplane revealed no anomalies. Approximately 27 minutes prior to the accident, the reported winds at the Jefferson County Airport, Broomfield, Colorado, 197 degrees at 9 nautical miles from the accident site, was 280 degrees at 20 knots with gusts of 26 knots. ## Factual narrative On January 26, 2003, at 1514 mountain standard time, a Rothrock Cozy Mark IV, N320FR, piloted by a private pilot, was destroyed when the pilot lost control during landing and the airplane nosed over at the Erie-Tri County Airport (48V), Erie, Colorado. Visual meteorological conditions prevailed at the time of the accident. The local, personal flight was being conducted under the provisions of Title 14 CFR Part 91 without a flight plan. The pilot and passenger on board the airplane sustained minor injuries. The pilot reported that during landing on runway 33 (4,700 feet by 60 feet, dry concrete) he encountered a strong crosswind. The airplane departed the right side of the runway. The pilot said the wing caught [on the ground] and the airplane flipped over on its back. The airplane was examined at 48V. The examination showed the airplane resting on its back near the east edge of runway 33. Both of the airplane's wings were broken aft and shattered. The propeller was also broken and shattered. An examination of the airplane's systems revealed no anomalies. At 1447, the reported winds at the Jefferson County Airport, Broomfield, Colorado, located 197 degrees at approximately 9 nautical miles from the accident site, was 280 degrees at 20 knots with gusts of 26 knots. ## Aircraft - Registration: [N320FR](https://openairdocs.org/deregistered/N320FR-2013-08-23), registration cancelled 2013-08-23, S/N ROTHROCK 001, built 2000 (OpenAirDocs) - Reported make and model: Rothrock Cozy Mark IV - Registry model: [Rothrock Donald R COZY MK IV MODIFIED](https://openairdocs.org/model/rothrock-donald-r-cozy-mk-iv-modified) (registry code 05607QX) (OpenAirDocs) - Registry engine: [Lycoming IO-320 series](https://openairdocs.org/engine/lycoming-io-320-series) (registry code 41509, reciprocating) (OpenAirDocs) - Category: Airplane, amateur-built - Serial number: Rothrock 001 - Airframe hours: 125 - Engines: Lycoming IO-320-B 160 horsepower reciprocating - Damage: Destroyed - Flight: Personal, Part 91 - Operator: James R. Willar - Registered owner: Donald R. Rothrock - Airworthiness certificate: Special, Experimental (Special) - Last inspection: Condition, March 22, 2002, 48.1 hours before - Departed: 7CO0, ERIE, CO - Destination: 48V, Erie, CO - Airport: 48V, Tri-County Airport, runway 33, 4,700 × 60 ft ## Flight crew As NTSB recorded them. NTSB leaves out names. - Pilot; age 47; injuries: minor; commercial; airplane ratings: single-engine land; instrument ratings: airplane; medical: class 2, valid medical--w/ waivers/lim; last flight review June 1, 2001; seat: left; flight hours: 2,200 total, 25 in this make and model, 2,200 as pilot in command, 41 in the last 90 days, 41 in the last 30 days ## Weather - Conditions: Visual (VMC), Day - Wind: 280° at 20 knots, gusting 26 - Visibility: 40 statute miles - Lowest ceiling: 12,000 ft broken - Temperature: 57 °F, dew point 16 °F - Altimeter: 30.12 inHg - Observed at: BJC, 9 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 (OpenAirDocs). - [Accident 20030126001839A](https://openairdocs.org/incident/20030126001839A), Jan 26, 2003: Amtr COZYMARK4, Erie, CO, Destroyed. (-23) Pilot lost control of his aircraft in gusty wind conditions. Aircraft flipped over on its back. Pilot and passenger sustained minor injuries. Aircraft… ## Docket (1 files) The files NTSB released with the investigation on June 4, 2003, on NTSB's docket system: https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket?ProjectID=56409. 275 KB in all. - Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 (item 1, .PDF, 275 KB): https://data.ntsb.gov/Docket/Document/docBLOB?ID=40380825&FileExtension=.PDF&FileName=Pilot%2FOperator%20Aircraft%20Accident%20Report,%20NTSB%20Form%206120.1-Redacted.PDF From the NTSB's public API. Aircraft are matched to registry aircraft by N-number and event date, checked against the reported serial number, make and model; the registry's history has gaps, so older matches can be wrong. Compare the reported make and model. --- OpenAirDocs.org is an independent research project of [Contrail Labs](https://contraillabs.com/). It is not affiliated with the FAA or the NTSB. Source documents are U.S. government works in the public domain.