Amateur-built AL-6 accident near Peyton, Colorado, July 13, 2011
On July 13, 2011 at about 5:47 pm local time, a amateur-built AL-6, registered N61262, was substantially damaged in an accident during enroute (descent) near Peyton, Colorado (Meadow Lake Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The loss of engine power during the descent for reasons that could not be determined because a thorough examination of the engine could not be completed due to the remote accident site.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2011 · about 5:47 pm local time
- Place
- Peyton, Colorado · Meadow Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AL-6
- Registration
- N61262 · no longer on the register · serial 96131
- 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 the engine lost power during the descent to land. The pilot was unable to restart the engine and could not reach the destination airport, so he performed a forced landing in a nearby field. About 20 gallons of fuel was drained from the airplane’s fuel tanks after the forced landing. The pilot described a history of recent fuel mixture control problems. He stated that during a previous flight, the airplane’s engine appeared to be surging and did not shut down normally when he brought the mixture control to its idle cut-off position. After that incident, the pilot removed the airplane’s fuel mixture control, had it repaired, and then reinstalled it on the airplane. The pilot stated that after he reinstalled the fuel mixture control, he experienced two additional unexplained losses of engine power, but he continued to operate the airplane. Although it is possible that the fuel mixture control reinstallation was not properly done, it was not possible to determine the reason for the loss of engine power because the engine and its systems were not examined due to the remote location of the accident site.
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 maintenance event during prior to flight
- Loss of engine power (total) during enroute (descent) defining event
- Off-field or emergency landing during emergency descent
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during landing
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › (general) › Malfunction
- cause Not determined › Not determined › (general) › (general) › Unknown/Not determined
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,342 hours in all; 145 in this make and model; 11 in the last 90 days; 8 in the last 30 days; 1,900 as pilot in command; 0 on instruments
- Last flight review: July 1, 2011
- Medical certificate: Class 3
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 421 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, October 24, 2010; 25 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,400 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Continental IO-470-V (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: ALS Alamosa CO at 4:40 pm
- Destination: FLY Peyton CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: not recorded
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.20 inHg
- Observation at 5:34 pm from KFLY, 1 miles away
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.