Amateur-built AA-1A accident near Greeley, Colorado, October 29, 2000
On October 29, 2000 at about 10:00 pm local time, a amateur-built AA-1A, registered N41RC, was substantially damaged in an accident near Greeley, Colorado (Greeley-Weld County 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
Carburetor ice formation due to the pilot's improper use of the carburetor heat control. Factors were the fence and fence post.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- October 29, 2000 · about 10:00 pm local time
- Place
- Greeley, Colorado · Greeley-Weld County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 2 people were on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built AA-1A
- Registration
- N41RC · registry record · serial AA1A-0143
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot made a touch and go landing. During climbout, the engine lost power. During the forced landing approach to an airport access road, the airplane struck a fence post and barbed wire. The engine then regained power, and the pilot taxied back to the ramp. A mechanic said he suspected carburetor ice as the cause of the power loss. The pilot said he applied carburetor heat towards the end of the approach for the touch and go landing, and closed it prior to lifting off. The temperature and dew point were 19 degrees C. and -4 degrees C., respectively. According to the Carburetor Icing Graph, this temperature/dew point combination is on the outer fringes of SERIOUS ICING AFFECTS GLIDE OR CRUISE POWER arc.
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
- Flight time: 412 hours in all; 17 in this make and model; 17 in the last 90 days; 4 in the last 30 days
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1,753 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, May 4, 2000; 19 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,500 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-235-C2C (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FNL Fort Collins CO at 9:00 pm
- Destination: GXY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 34, 10,000 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 020° at 4 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 25°F (-4°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 9:55 pm from GXY
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.