Amateur-built QUICKIE accident near Erie, Colorado, February 13, 1983
On February 13, 1983 at about 6:00 pm local time, a amateur-built QUICKIE, registered N59JT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Erie, Colorado (Tri-County 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 NTSB has not yet published a probable cause for this accident. Investigations usually take one to two years; this page updates when the final report is released.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- February 13, 1983 · about 6:00 pm local time
- Place
- Erie, Colorado · Tri-County · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built QUICKIE
- Registration
- N59JT · no longer on the register · serial 474
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
THE AIRCRAFT LOST POWER DURING TAKEOFF AT ABOUT 50 TO 75 FEET ABOVE THE RUNWAY. THE PILOT STATED THAT THE ENGINE RPM BEGAN TO SURGE. THE PILOT SAID HE DID NOT BELIEVE ENOUGH RUNWAY REMAINED FOR A LANDING ON THE AIRPORT SO HE MAINTAINED LEVEL FLT IN A SHALLOW RT TURN TO LAND IN A PLOWED FARM FIELD. THE AIRCRAFT TOUCHED DOWN AND BOUNCED. DURING THE SECOND TOUCHDOWN THE RIGHT WHEEL PANT DUG INTO THE MUD, TORE OFF THE CANARD AND SPUN THE ACFT 180 DEGREES TO A STOP. THE PILOT EXITED THE ACFT UNHURT. AFTER ABOUT ONE MINUTE OF WAITING THE PILOT RETURNED TO THE ACFT TO CUT THE SWITCHES. INVESTIGATION REVEALED THAT #2 CYLINDER IGNITION LEAD HAD SLIPPED PART WAY OUT OF THE COIL. THIS REDUCED THE FIRING VOLTAGE TO THE SPARK PLUG SO THAT THE ENGINE WAS RUNNING INTERMITTENTLY ON ONE CYLINDER.
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; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 228 hours in all; 1 in this make and model; 3 in the last 90 days; 1 in the last 30 days; 110 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 1 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, November 1, 1982; 1 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 520 lb
- Seats: 1
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Onan B48M-GAD18 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: 48V Erie CO at 6:00 pm
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 15, 5,280 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: at 7 knots
- Visibility: 30 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 55°F (13°C), dew point 0°F (-18°C)
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.
Other NTSB records under N59JT 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.