Amateur-built F1 accident near Payson, Arizona, April 14, 2024
On April 14, 2024 at about 10:48 pm local time, a 2009 amateur-built F1, registered N75KM, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing near Payson, Arizona (Payson Municipal Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain directional control while landing in gusting crosswind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 14, 2024 · about 10:48 pm local time
- Place
- Payson, Arizona · Payson Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built F1 EVO, built 2009
- Registration
- N75KM · registry record · serial 153
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot reported that, while landing with a left crosswind, the airplane bounced slightly on initial touchdown, and it drifted to the right of the centerline. The pilot applied left aileron and left rudder to correct for the veer and added engine power to abort the landing, but a gust of wind rolled the airplane to the right, and the right wing struck the runway. Subsequently, the pilot elected to land the airplane on the remaining portion of the runway. During the second touchdown on the right side of the runway, the pilot said he lost directional control. The airplane travelled laterally across the runway surface and exited the left side of the runway, bending the right landing gear leg backward and the airplane nosed down. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and engine mount tube structure. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
The complete narrative as the NTSB published it. The NTSB's docket holds the report as a PDF and any photographs, statements and other documents from the investigation.
The factual record from the NTSB's investigation tables, in plain English
What happened, in order
- Abnormal runway contact during landing defining event
- Miscellaneous/other during landing (flare/touchdown)
- Landing gear collapse during landing (flare/touchdown)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Response/compensation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 868 hours in all; 272 in this make and model; 810 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: October 22, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
Passenger
- Seat: ctr
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 412.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, July 24, 2022; 53.7 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming/Aerosport IO540 D4A5 (piston); 412 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KGEU Glendale AZ at 8:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,504 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots, gusting 22
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 12°F (-11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.05 inHg
- Observation at 3:35 pm from PAN
Weather report (METAR): KPAN 142235Z AUTO 18010G22KT 10SM CLR 19/M11 A3005 RMK AO2 PWINO TSNO
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 3 pictures from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
Photograph 1 – Image of accident airplane viewed from the front
Photograph 3 – Image of outboard left wing viewed from above
Photograph 4 - Image of outboard right wing viewed from aboveThe NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on March 6, 2025. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 11 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 5 pages · our copy | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Everything on this page comes from the NTSB's public records. The narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words; the coded tables behind the report are written out in plain English, with pilots' ages, home towns and medical details left out. The documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, shown as the NTSB released them. This site's own text never names anyone involved. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.