Cubcrafters INC CC11 accident near Larkspur, Colorado, September 18, 2020
On September 18, 2020 at about 4:43 pm local time, a 2015 Cubcrafters INC CC11, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N55JV, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Larkspur, Colorado. 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 pilot’s failure to maintain control of the airplane while taking off in gusting quartering tailwind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 18, 2020 · about 4:43 pm local time
- Place
- Larkspur, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cubcrafters INC CC11 160, built 2015, amateur-built · all CC11s on the register
- Registration
- N55JV · registry record · serial CC11-00392
- 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 taking off from a downhill sloped meadow, the airplane encountered a strong quartering tailwind gust, which stopped the airplane from climbing. The airplane subsequently sank, and the left wing struck the ground. The airplane’s left wing and fuselage sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot reported that the accident could have been prevented if he had selected a better takeoff site with more options in case of unexpected adverse conditions.
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
- Other weather encounter during takeoff
- Loss of control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Tailwind › Effect on operation
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot
- Ratings: single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 7,836 hours in all; 114 in this make and model; 116 in the last 90 days; 34 in the last 30 days; 7,806 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 6, 2020
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rear
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 430.7 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 26, 2020
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Titan OC-340CC (piston); 430 hours total
- Operator: Janzen Leasing LLC
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 200° at 11 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 73°F (23°C), dew point 32°F (0°C)
- Altimeter: 30.35 inHg
- Observation at 10:45 am from KAFF, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on September 2, 2021. 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 | Photo Array | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
Other NTSB records under N55JV the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.