Flight Design GMBH CTSW accident near Peyton, Colorado, July 4, 2007
On July 4, 2007 at about 10:30 pm local time, a Flight Design GMBH CTSW, registered N108EM, was substantially damaged in an accident near Peyton, Colorado (Meadow Lake airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's improper flare and failure to maintain control and subsequent hard landing. Contributing factors in this accident were the gusty winds, hot temperature, and high density altitude.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 4, 2007 · about 10:30 pm local time
- Place
- Peyton, Colorado · Meadow Lake · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Flight Design GMBH CTSW · all CTSWs on the register
- Registration
- N108EM · registry record · serial 06-08-07
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot said he made a normal approach to runway 33 but flared too high, causing the airplane to drop hard on the runway. He said there were gusty winds and the temperature was "hot." He also noted that he was "not familiar [with] high altitude [operations]."
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: multi-engine land; single-engine land; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 4,500 hours in all; 80 in this make and model
- Last flight review: December 1, 2006
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (without waivers/limitations)
- Seat: left
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Last inspection: annual inspection
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Rotax 945 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LMR Lamar CO at 9:30 pm
- Destination: 00V Falcon CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 33, 6,000 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 13 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 77°F (25°C), dew point 54°F (12°C)
- Altimeter: 30.18 inHg
- Observation at 9:54 pm from COS, 33 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.