Amateur-built Rans S-7 accident near Fruita, Colorado, August 28, 2001
On August 28, 2001 at about 7:40 pm local time, a amateur-built Rans S-7, registered N91642, was substantially damaged in an accident near Fruita, Colorado (Private Airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person had minor injuries. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
loss of engine power due to both piston rings failing, and the subsequent inadvertent stall/spin during the attempted forced landing. A contributing factor was the lack of suitable terrain for a forced landing.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- August 28, 2001 · about 7:40 pm local time
- Place
- Fruita, Colorado · Private Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person had minor injuries.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built Rans S-7
- Registration
- N91642 · registry record · serial 491080
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
Shortly after takeoff (approximately 30 feet above the ground), the aircraft began to lose power. The pilot said the aircraft lost the ability to climb at about 60 feet above ground level. Due to a barn in his flight path, he turned the airplane toward an alfalfa field to make an emergency landing. The engine continued to loose power and attempts to regain engine power failed. The airplane's speed began to decrease and approach a stall. The airplane contacted the ground with its right wing first, then rotated until its heading was 180 degrees from its flight path, subsequently coming to rest against a fence. Postaccident examination of the engine by the pilot revealed that both piston rings had failed. The owner reported that the engine had approximately 4 hours of flight operation time. .
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
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 10,000 hours in all; 4 in this make and model; 210 in the last 90 days; 80 in the last 30 days; 7,000 as pilot in command
- Last flight review: March 3, 2001
- Medical certificate: Class 1 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 4 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, June 20, 2001; 4 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 1,025 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 582 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: NONE Fruita CO at 7:40 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 09, 1,200 ft by 35 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: a few clouds at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 93°F (34°C), dew point 43°F (6°C)
- Altimeter: 29.96 inHg
- Observation at 7:56 pm from GJT, 18 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.