Amateur-built Zenith CH 200 accident near Canon City, Colorado, April 8, 2001
On April 8, 2001 at about 8:10 pm local time, a amateur-built Zenith CH 200, registered N49DE, was destroyed in an accident near Canon City, Colorado (Fremont County airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
the pilot in command inadvertently allowing the airplane to stall/spin. Contributing factors were the pilot's total lack of experience in airplane make/model, and high wind conditions.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- April 8, 2001 · about 8:10 pm local time
- Place
- Canon City, Colorado · Fremont County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Zenith CH 200
- Registration
- N49DE · registry record · serial A-209
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot/passenger had recently traded the airplane and the new owner had contracted with the commercial pilot to ferry the airplane to his home base. The purpose of this flight was for the commercial pilot to familiarize himself with the airplane. The commercial pilot had no previous experience in this make/model of aircraft. A witness saw the airplane "flying very slowly" on the downwind leg approximately 200 feet agl. When the airplane was abeam the runway threshold, it "rolled to the left and dove inverted" into the ground. Another witness reported seeing the airplane "flutter" and "shake" before diving to the ground. A third witness said the airplane entered a left spin. The witnesses said that the westerly wind had been strong all day, estimated between 45 and 60 knots.
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: commercial pilot
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: fatal
Crew member
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: fatal
The aircraft
- Last inspection: condition inspection, August 29, 1999
- Maximum gross weight: 1,650 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-G (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 1V6 Canon City CO at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 29, 5,399 ft by 75 ft
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 260° at 11 knots, gusting 17
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 21°F (-6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.62 inHg
- Observation at 7:54 pm from PUB, 34 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 2 |
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.