Amateur-built SUPERSTOL accident near Paonia, Colorado, March 12, 2025
On March 12, 2025, a 2021 amateur-built SUPERSTOL, registered N45TW, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Paonia, Colorado (North Fork Valley 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).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot’s failure to maintain the airplane’s directional control during the takeoff roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- March 12, 2025
- Place
- Paonia, Colorado · North Fork Valley · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built SUPERSTOL, built 2021
- Registration
- N45TW · registry record · serial JA512-11-17
- 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 he taxied his tailwheel airplane onto the runway and locked the tailwheel. He slowly pushed the control stick forward, added power to bring the tail up, and the airplane started to drift to the left. By the time he was able to react, the left tire caught the edge of the runway, and the airplane drifted into a fence. The pilot stated that he was riding the left brake when power was applied and did not remove his foot fully off the brake before the takeoff roll. Both wings, fuselage, and the empennage sustained substantial damage. The pilot stated that there were no mechanical malfunctions or failures with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation.
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 on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land
- Flight time: 79 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 10 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: May 23, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, January 25, 2025; 0 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,550 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Edge Performance Yamaha APEX (piston); 8 hours total
The flight
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 24, 4,500 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: dusk
- Wind: from 260° at 13 knots, gusting 24
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 57°F (14°C), dew point 10°F (-12°C)
- Altimeter: 29.83 inHg
- Observation at 5:53 pm from KMTJ, 23 miles away
Weather report (METAR): KMTJ 112353Z AUTO 26013G24KT 10SM CLR 14/M12 A2983
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 1 picture from the NTSB's docket, as the NTSB released them
The NTSB's photographs with the NTSB's captions, at screen size. Open a picture to see it full size or to report one that should not be shown.
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
2 documents, released by the NTSB on August 11, 2025. 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, 10 pages | View Download |
| 2 | Photos | PDF, 2 pages · our copy | 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.