Kolb Mark III accident near Steamboat Springs, Colorado, September 14, 2021
On September 14, 2021, a 1991 Kolb Mark III, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N4365E, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Steamboat Springs, Colorado (Private Strip airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain adequate airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack, which resulted in an aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 14, 2021
- Place
- Steamboat Springs, Colorado · Private Strip · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Kolb Mark III, built 1991, amateur-built
- Registration
- N4365E · no longer on the register · serial M3086
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot flew the airplane with the previous owner in Indiana before purchasing it and driving it on a trailer to Steamboat Springs. A witness reported that the pilot intended to taxi around his private airstrip to get a better feel for the airplane. The airplane subsequently lifted off the ground, cleared several fences, and was about 20 ft above the ground when the airplane’s nose suddenly lowered and impacted the ground. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the fuselage. The pilot told the witness that he did not intentionally lower the nose of the airplane. The pilot later told a family member that he stalled the airplane. The airplane was not made available for investigators to examine.
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 control in flight during takeoff defining event
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during uncontrolled descent
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Airspeed › Not attained/maintained
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Capability exceeded
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: serious injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway UNK
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 310° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 72°F (22°C), dew point 41°F (5°C)
- Altimeter: 30.13 inHg
- Observation at 6:15 pm from KSBS, 5 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KSBS 140015Z AUTO 31007KT 10SM CLR 22/05 A3013 RMK AO1 T02160052
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on September 20, 2023. 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 | Witness Statement | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Accident Report Form Memo | PDF, 1 page | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.