Airborne WINDSPORT EDGE accident near Ft. Lupton, Colorado, June 23, 2010
On June 23, 2010 at about 5:45 pm local time, a Airborne WINDSPORT EDGE (weight-shift aircraft), registered N55857, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering (aerobatics) near Ft. Lupton, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot intentionally performed prohibited aerobatic maneuvers that damaged the carriage wing attachment hang point and collapsed the wing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 23, 2010 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- Ft. Lupton, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Airborne WINDSPORT EDGE
- Registration
- N55857 · no longer on the register · serial 582-560
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
A witness observed the weight-shift aircraft performing aerobatic maneuvers, notably “loops and wingovers,” for about five minutes. The witness stated that during the last maneuver the pilot, who was not certificated, performed what looked like a wingover. The aircraft was at about 1,000 feet above ground level when the wing folded and the aircraft spiraled down, impacting the ground. A postcrash examination of the aircraft at the accident scene showed that the carriage wing attachment hang point was broken. The fracture was consistent with a failure prior to impact. No other anomalies with the aircraft were found. The aircraft’s operating instructions stated that all aerobatic maneuvers including spinning are prohibited.
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
- Aircraft structural failure during maneuvering (aerobatics) defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Action › Incorrect action selection › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft structures › Wing structure › Attach fittings (on wing) › Failure
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Qualification/certification › Pilot
- cause Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
Pilot
- Medical certificate: None
- Seat: frt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: Ft. Lupton CO
- Destination: Ft. Lupton CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Temperature: 0°F (-18°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 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.