Amateur-built 601XL accident near La Veta, Colorado, March 10, 2023
On March 10, 2023 at about 5:45 pm local time, a 2005 amateur-built 601XL, registered N969WD, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near La Veta, Colorado (Cuchara Valley Airport La Veta). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s decision to fly the airplane in which he had no experience in strong, gusting wind, which resulted his failure to maintain proper airspeed and his exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and a subsequent aerodynamic stall.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 10, 2023 · about 5:45 pm local time
- Place
- La Veta, Colorado · Cuchara Valley Airport La Veta · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built 601XL, built 2005
- Registration
- N969WD · registry record · serial 6-5349
- 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 airplane’s engine lost all power shortly after takeoff at an altitude of 400 to 500 above ground level (agl). The airplane then entered an aerodynamic stall, descended, and impacted the ground before coming to rest inverted. The pilot had just purchased the airplane and did not have any flight time in the accident make and model airplane. The previous owner was present when the accident occurred. He stated that he did not believe that the accident was a result of a loss of engine power. He noted that the engine runup was normal and the wind was 35 to 40 knots with gusts at the time of the accident. He saw the airplane after takeoff and it appeared to be bouncing around because of the wind. It then stalled and fell to the ground. He could not hear the engine noises due to the wind. A postaccident examination, which included an engine run, did not reveal any preimpact anomalies that would have precluded normal operation. Based on the available evidence, the accident was likely the result of the pilot’s decision to fly the airplane in which he had no experience in strong, gusting wind. This led to exceedance of the airplane’s critical angle of attack and an aerodynamic stall that the pilot had insufficient altitude to recover from.
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
- Aerodynamic stall/spin during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Action/decision › Info processing/decision › Decision making/judgment › Pilot
- Personnel issues › Experience/knowledge › Experience/qualifications › Total experience w/ equipment › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Gusts › Decision related to condition
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Angle of attack › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 65 hours in all; 0 in this make and model; 60 in the last 90 days; 10 in the last 30 days; 10 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: February 9, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 19, 2022
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Destination: TAD Trinidad CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 5,798 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 18 knots, gusting 26
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 34°F (1°C), dew point 18°F (-8°C)
- Altimeter: 30.03 inHg
- Observation at 10:35 am from KVTP, 8 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KVTP 101735Z AUTO 26018G26KT 10SM CLR 01/M08 A3003 RMK AO2
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flig | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
About this page
Everything above comes from the NTSB's public accident database: the narrative, probable cause and findings are the NTSB's own words, and the coded tables behind its report (pilot, aircraft, flight, weather, injuries, sequence of events) are written out in plain English. Pilots' ages, home towns and medical details are left out on purpose. The docket at the NTSB holds the report as a PDF and the investigation's photographs and documents. This site never names pilots, passengers or anyone else involved. A preliminary report describes what is known soon after the event and can change; the final report, with the probable cause, usually follows one to two years later and this page is refreshed when it does. Case number CEN23LA128.