Fairchild 24 G accident near Peyton, Colorado, October 9, 2023
On October 9, 2023 at about 5:14 pm local time, a 1937 Fairchild 24 G, registered N19173, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Peyton, Colorado (Meadow Lake Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s excessive brake application during landing rollout led to the airplane nosing over.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made November 2, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 9, 2023 · about 5:14 pm local time · cases in 2023
- Place
- Peyton, Colorado · Meadow Lake Airport · cases near this airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Fairchild 24 G, built 1937 · all 24 Gs on the register
- Registration
- N19173 · registry record · serial 2958
- 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 preceding the accident he had performed four uneventful touch and go landings for practice. During the fifth and final landing to a full stop, the airplane veered left of runway centerline. The pilot attempted to correct by applying rudder and brakes and reported that he “went too far” with braking application. The airplane nosed over, which resulted in substantial damage to the vertical stabilizer and rudder. A postaccident examination of the airplane revealed no mechanical anomalies with the flight controls or brakes. The Fairchild 24 is a vintage aircraft. The previous owner was given field approval for installation of a Cleveland wheel and brake kit #199-64, commonly used for higher weight Cessna 310 airplanes. The Cleveland brakes provided more braking power than the originally installed brakes, which likely contributed to the pilot’s excessive braking.
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
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll) defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Surface speed/braking › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 23,085 hours in all; 8 in this make and model; 44 in the last 90 days; 7 in the last 30 days; 16,397 as pilot in command; 2,221 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 27, 2022
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,170 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, January 13, 2023; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,550 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Warner Super 550 Sup (piston); 779 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FLY Colorado Springs CO at 4:44 pm
- Destination: FLY Colorado Springs CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 140° at 5 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 30°F (-1°C)
- Altimeter: 30.14 inHg
- Observation at 11:15 am from KFLY
Weather report (METAR): KFLY 091715Z AUTO 14005KT 10SM CLR 21/M01 A3014 RMK AO2 T02071013
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The NTSB has not released the docket for this case yet. The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), is usually released when the investigation is nearly complete, and the list here is refreshed when it appears. Check at the NTSB.
Connections how this case links to the rest of the register
- N19173 on the register today · the tail number may have moved to another aircraft since
- Fairchild 24 242 registered today · the model family and its accident history
- Fairchild 616 aircraft on the register
- Engine: Warner Super 550 Sup · as the NTSB recorded it
- Meadow Lake Airport · nearest airport
- Accidents and incidents in Colorado 2,860 since 1982 · 383 in the last ten years
- Colorado 7,485 aircraft registered
The whole map of how records connect · these connections as data: /graph/accident/CEN24LA007.json.
The bigger picture in Aviation Analytics: accidents over time since 1982, by model, by phase of flight and conditions, by place and on the map.
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 does not name anyone involved, its policy at this time. A preliminary report can change; the final report usually follows one to two years later, and the page is refreshed when it does.