Amateur-built JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER accident near Mancos, Colorado, July 13, 2025
On July 13, 2025 at about 2:15 pm local time, a 2024 amateur-built JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER, registered N970SV, was substantially damaged in an accident during initial climb near Mancos, Colorado (Private airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The airplane’s reduced climb performance during takeoff in mountainous terrain, which resulted in the airplane’s inability to climb and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 13, 2025 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Mancos, Colorado · Private · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built JUST ACFT HIGHLANDER, built 2024
- Registration
- N970SV · no longer on the register · serial JA720-04-24
- 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 departed from a down sloping, grass airstrip in mountainous terrain. About 20 to 40 ft above the ground after takeoff, the airplane was unable to climb and descended to the ground, which resulted in the right wing impacting the ground. The airplane then veered right, nosed over and sustained substantial damage to the wings, fuselage, and empennage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot added that he operated the airplane from this strip in similar conditions without issue. He thought there might have been a downdraft or temperature inversion that reduced the airplane’s climb performance.
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
- Other weather encounter during initial climb
- Loss of control in flight during initial climb defining event
The NTSB's findings
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Wind › Downdraft › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Altitude › Attain/maintain not possible
- Environmental issues › Conditions/weather/phenomena › Temp/humidity/pressure › Temperature inversion › Contributed to outcome
- Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Climb rate › Attain/maintain not possible
Pilot
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, commercial pilot, foreign licence, private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,823 hours in all; 38.3 in this make and model; 38.3 in the last 90 days; 20.4 in the last 30 days; 6,500 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: December 13, 2024
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Passenger
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 78 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, February 27, 2025
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912ULS (piston); 80 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: PVT Mancos CO at 8:15 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 36, 1,150 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 2 knots
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 68°F (20°C), dew point 52°F (11°C)
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
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.