Amateur-built GOAT accident near Wolcott, Colorado, June 16, 2014
On June 16, 2014 at about 7:15 pm local time, a 2006 amateur-built GOAT, registered N987SL, was substantially damaged in an accident during maneuvering near Wolcott, 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
The failure of an oil line leading to the oil pressure transducer which resulted in oil starvation and subsequent loss of engine power.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- June 16, 2014 · about 7:15 pm local time
- Place
- Wolcott, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built GOAT NO SERIES, built 2006
- Registration
- N987SL · registry record · serial 1028KCM
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While flying a single engine airplane VFR at 12,500 feet MSL, the pilot noticed a drop in oil pressure and smelled burning oil. He immediately turned back toward an airport, declared an emergency, and reduced the power to idle. During the emergency descent, the pilot encountered very strong winds out of the south and maneuvered the airplane toward a golf course fairway and secured the engine by pulling the mixture to idle cut off position. The airplane touched down in a strong crosswind on the fairway and the initial rollout was under control, but the airplane rolled over a very large landscape bump (approximately 4 feet tall) in the fairway. The airplane became airborne after the bump and the left wing rose rapidly upon the second touchdown. The airplane was heading toward a small pond and the pilot applied brake pressure, but the large tundra tires were sliding on the wet grass. The pilot decided to intentionally ground loop the airplane to avoid sliding into the pond. The right wing contacted the ground causing substantial damage to the wing. The airplane came to rest near the edge of the pond and the pilot and passenger exited through the pilot side door with no injuries. After the accident the airplane was examined and a standard fitting on the accessory section of the engine which leads to the oil pressure transducer was found sheared completely, which would have caused an instantaneous and complete loss of oil pressure and a loss of most of the engine oil in flight. There was no collateral damage or evidence in or around the AN fitting to determine the reason for failure.
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
- Loss of engine power (total) during maneuvering defining event
The NTSB's findings
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft power plant › Engine (reciprocating) › Recip eng oil sys › Failure
- cause Aircraft › Fluids/misc hardware › Fluids › Oil › Fluid level
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Crosswind › Effect on operation
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › Wet surface › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Terrain › Rough terrain › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 25 in this make and model; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: June 10, 2014
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 150.9 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, October 31, 2013
- Maximum gross weight: 2,500 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-540 (piston); 25 hours total
- Not recorded
The flight
- Departed from: GWS Glenwood CO at 5:20 pm
- Destination: BDU Boulder CO
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 180° at 20 knots, gusting 30
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 75°F (24°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 30.01 inHg
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.
