Hall Lancair 4P accident near Bennett, Colorado, May 28, 2001
On May 28, 2001 at about 8:30 pm local time, a Hall Lancair 4P, an amateur-built aircraft,, registered N707SH, was substantially damaged in an accident near Bennett, Colorado. It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 3 people had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
unsuitable terrain on which to make a forced landing. A contributing factor was a fatigue fracture of the starter adapter drive shaft, which resulted in a loss of engine power due to oil starvation.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 28, 2001 · about 8:30 pm local time
- Place
- Bennett, Colorado · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 3 people had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Hall Lancair 4P, amateur-built
- Registration
- N707SH · no longer on the register · serial LIV-363
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
While in cruise flight, the oil pressure warning light illuminated, and the oil pressure gauge fluctuated between 0 and 10 psi. The engine made a loud noise and began to vibrate and lose power. A forced landing was made in an open field. After touch down, the left main and nose landing gear buckled, then the right main gear collapsed, shearing off the right wing. During the engine disassembly and inspection, it was discovered that the starter adapter drive shaft had fractured forward of the oil scavenge pump gears at a snap ring groove. This allowed pressurized lubricating oil to be discharged through the turbocharger turbine and compressor oil seals. Metallurgical examination concluded that the fracture was in fatigue and had initiated at multiple origins at the snap ring groove root fillet.
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: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,181 hours in all; 60 in this make and model; 96 in the last 90 days; 11 in the last 30 days; 1,972 as pilot in command; 130 on instruments
- Last flight review: May 24, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
- Injury: minor injuries
Crew member
- Certificate: airline transport pilot, flight instructor
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instructor: airplane multi-engine; instructor: airplane single-engine; instructor: instrument airplane; instrument: airplane; rotorcraft: helicopter
- Flight time: 6,560 hours in all; 18 in this make and model; 68 in the last 90 days; 28 in the last 30 days; 5,380 as pilot in command; 3,506 on instruments
- Last flight review: April 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 2 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
- Injury: minor injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 60 hours
- Last inspection: condition inspection, May 28, 2001; 60 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 3,700 lb
- Seats: 4
- Landing gear: retractable
- Engine: Continental TSIO-550-E1B (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: FTG Watkins CO at 8:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- A second pilot was aboard
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 150° at 14 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 22,000 ft; scat at 13,000 ft
- Temperature: 79°F (26°C), dew point 45°F (7°C)
- Altimeter: 29.87 inHg
- Observation at 7:53 pm from DEN, 11 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | 1 | |||
| Passengers | 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.
Other NTSB records under N707SH the same tail number, which may have belonged to a different aircraft at the time
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.