Amateur-built 7-220 accident near Manzanola, Colorado, July 28, 2010
On July 28, 2010 at about 1:45 am local time, a amateur-built 7-220, registered N798V, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Manzanola, Colorado. 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
A collision with a hidden obstruction during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 28, 2010 · about 1:45 am local time
- Place
- Manzanola, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 7-220
- Registration
- N798V · registry record · serial 378
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot stated that he was transporting his newly acquired vintage bi-wing airplane to his home field. About 21 miles from the destination, the airplane encountered severe turbulence. The pilot attempted to approach the home airport from a different direction, but still encountered severe turbulence. Storms were visually detected by the pilot approaching the destination airport, so he diverted to avoid the storms. The pilot headed towards a private airfield and visually acquired what he thought was the landing area. The pilot performed a landing to an open, plowed, field. During the ground roll, the landing gear dug into a dirt "bump" and the airplane nosed over, coming to rest in an inverted position. The airplane's rudder was substantially damaged.
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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
The NTSB's findings
- cause Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surfa › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 6,300 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 20 in the last 90 days; 20 in the last 30 days; 6,300 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: July 29, 2008
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 2,603 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, July 22, 2010; 10 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,931 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental W670-6N (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAA Lamar CO
- Destination: A50 Ellicott CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 360° at 23 knots, gusting 32
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 10,000 ft
- Temperature: 84°F (29°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 2:06 am from PUB
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket at the NTSB.
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.