- Date
- May 11, 2019, 13:55 local (19:55 UTC)
- Place
- Grand Junction, CO
- Injuries
- 1 uninjured
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Phase of flight
- Maneuvering
- Aircraft
- N56XCCub Crafters Carbon CUB EX
- Defining event
- Maneuvering-low-alt flying: Low altitude operation/event
- Weather
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Status
- Completed · report September 21, 2020
- Report
- Approved by Office Director
- NTSB office
- General Aviation Accidents
- Parties
- FAA
- Case key
- 99422
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 clearance from power lines during low-level maneuvering through a canyon.
Findings · 3
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, while maneuvering through a canyon at low altitude, the left wing struck a power line that he did not see. The airplane subsequently impacted terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
Factual narrative
The pilot reported that, while maneuvering through a canyon at low altitude, the left wing struck a power line that he did not see. The airplane subsequently collided with terrain. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the left wing. The pilot reported that there were no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot did not submit the National Transportation Safety Board Pilot/Operator Aircraft Accident/Incident Report Form 6120.1.
Aircraft
- Registration
- N56XC
- Reported as
- Cub Crafters Carbon CUB EX (Undesignat)
- Category
- Airplane, amateur-built
- Serial number
- CCK-1865-0009
- Built
- 2011
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal · Part 91
- Operator
- Tesla Sunsets LLC
- Registered owner
- Tesla Sunsets LLC
- Airworthiness certificate
- Special, Experimental (Special)
- Flight plan
- Unknown
- Equipment
- Unknown
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
- 54
- Injuries
- None
- Certificate
- Private
- Airplane ratings
- Single-engine land
- Instrument ratings
- Airplane
- Medical
- Class 3, With waivers/limitations
- Seat
- Front
Weather
- Conditions
- Visual (VMC) · Day
- Observed at
- KGJT, 11 nm away
Docket · 2
The files NTSB released with the investigation on July 31, 2020, on NTSB’s docket system: statements, records, photos and specialists’ reports. 190 KB in all.