Amateur-built CLASC IV-1200 accident near Hudson, Colorado, December 27, 2025
On December 27, 2025 at about 4:00 pm local time, a 2004 amateur-built CLASC IV-1200, registered N239DA, was substantially damaged in an accident during landing (landing roll) near Hudson, Colorado (Platte Valley Airpark airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 2 people were 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 control of the airplane during the landing roll.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- December 27, 2025 · about 4:00 pm local time
- Place
- Hudson, Colorado · Platte Valley Airpark · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built CLASC IV-1200, built 2004
- Registration
- N239DA · registry record · serial C9610-0177
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was landing to the east on the turf runway for the third time; the previous two landings were uneventful. During the landing roll, the airplane rolled over the bumpy turf surface, the empennage came up, and the airplane’s nose moved down. The pilot attempted to correct the nose down condition with an elevator input. When the airplane traveled over the paved taxiway that intersected the runway, the pilot opined that it exacerbated the situation. The airplane subsequently nosed over and came to rest inverted. The fuselage, vertical stabilizer, and rudder sustained substantial damage. The pilot reported that there were no preaccident mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airplane that would have precluded normal operation. The pilot stated that taxiway that crossed the runway was raised relative to the runway surface; however, he did not feel that the difference was the reason for the nose over. The airport facility directory noted that the turf surface was in fair condition, the runway was not maintained in winter, and that a taxiway intersected the turf runway at midfield.
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 landing (landing roll) defining event
- Nose over/nose down during landing (landing roll)
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
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Runway/land/takeoff/taxi surface › (general) › Effect on operation
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 548 hours in all; 216 in this make and model; 45 in the last 90 days; 21 in the last 30 days; 486 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: January 16, 2025
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 919.4 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, December 1, 2024
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 912 ULS (piston); 766 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: KBDU Boulder CO at 3:40 pm
- Destination: K18V Hudson CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09/2, 2,500 ft by 90 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 210° at 3 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 21,000 ft; a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 46°F (8°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.77 inHg
- Observation at 9:00 am from KDEN, 15 miles away
Weather report (METAR): METAR KDEN 271553Z 21003KT 10SM FEW080 SCT140 BKN210 08/M06 A2977 RMK AO2 SLP055 T00781061
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 1 |
Photographs from the investigation 2 pictures 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
4 documents, released by the NTSB on March 13, 2026. 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, 3 pages · our copy | View Download |
| 3 | Airport Facility Directory Excerpt | PDF, 2 pages | View Download |
| 4 | Record of Conversation - Pilot | PDF, 1 page | 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.