Amateur-built Super Cub EXP accident near Franktown, Colorado, May 26, 2024
On May 26, 2024 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2024 amateur-built Super Cub EXP, registered N983SB, was substantially damaged in an accident during approach (VFR pattern final) near Franktown, Colorado (Pvt airport). 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).
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The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain aircraft control during final approach and attempted go-around after encountering a sudden windshear.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 4, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 26, 2024 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Franktown, Colorado · Pvt · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Super Cub EXP, built 2024
- Registration
- N983SB · registry record · serial 001
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was attempting to land at his private airstrip when the airplane encountered an unexpected “windshear” and a greater than anticipated descent rate. The pilot attempted a go-around; however, the airplane was unable to sufficiently climb before it impacted a fence pole adjacent to the grass airstrip. The airplane came to rest upright and sustained substantial damage to the fuselage and left elevator control surface. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation and that he should have utilized better energy management given the wind 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
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during approach (VFR go-around)
- Loss of control in flight during approach (VFR pattern final) defining event
- Attempted remediation/recovery during approach (VFR go-around)
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Response/compensation
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Descent rate › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Windshear › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: commercial pilot, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 1,184 hours in all; 27 in this make and model; 36 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,169 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: August 24, 2023
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 55.1 hours
- Maximum gross weight: 2,300 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming IO-360 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: COS Colorado Springs CO at 3:30 pm
- Flight plan: none
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 19 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 6,000 ft
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 28°F (-2°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 10:53 am from KAPA, 11 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KAPA 261653Z 33017G27KT 10SM FEW060 FEW180 17/M02 A2996 RMK AO2 PK WND 33031/1625 SLP109 T01671022
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 July 2, 2024. 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, 8 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Investigation Photograph | 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.
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 documents and photographs are the NTSB's docket, the folder of records gathered during the investigation, shown as the NTSB released them (the NTSB redacts some personal details first) and listed under the NTSB's own titles. This site's own text 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 CEN24LA198.