Amateur-built P-40F accident near Peyton, Colorado, July 3, 2000
On July 3, 2000 at about 1:35 am local time, a amateur-built P-40F, registered N42915, was destroyed in an accident near Peyton, Colorado (Meadow Lake Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot's inadequate decision to turn back (low altitude) towards the runway for a forced landing. A contributing factor was the total loss of engine power due to a reduction gear failure.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 3, 2000 · about 1:35 am local time
- Place
- Peyton, Colorado · Meadow Lake Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built P-40F
- Registration
- N42915 · no longer on the register · serial 0001
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was performing a low fly-by over runway 33, and as the airplane reached the departure end, the engine lost power. Witnesses said that the pilot made a left turn back towards runway 15. Subsequently the airplane hit wires, impacted terrain, cart wheeled, came to rest against a transmission pole, and burned. Postaccident examination of the engine revealed that the gear reduction assembly had failed. The pilot had designed and built the airplane in 1986.
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
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: single-engine land; rotorcraft: glider
- Flight time: 1,550 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 504 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 28, 2000; 1 hours since
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Cuyuna 808L-100 (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 00V
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 6,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 320° at 14 knots, gusting 20
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 171°F (77°C), dew point 115°F (46°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
- Observation at 1:32 am from COS, 10 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
The docket, the folder of records gathered during an investigation (maintenance records, photographs, witness statements, examinations), has not been read from the NTSB for this case yet; the list appears here once it has. Open the docket 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.