Amateur-built PURSUIT accident near Fowler, Colorado, July 23, 1990
On July 23, 1990 at about 1:05 am local time, a amateur-built PURSUIT, registered N23GG, was destroyed in an accident near Fowler, Colorado (Fowler airport). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 2 people were killed. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
FAILURE OF THE PILOT TO MAINTAIN ADEQUATE AIRSPEED ON FINAL APPROACH TO LAND, WHICH RESULTED IN AN INADVERTENT STALL. A FACTOR RELATE TO THE ACCIDENT WAS: THE PILOT'S PHYSICAL IMPAIRMENT FROM CARBON MONOXIDE.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- July 23, 1990 · about 1:05 am local time
- Place
- Fowler, Colorado · Fowler · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 2 people were killed.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built PURSUIT
- Registration
- N23GG · registry record · serial 9123
- Damage
- Destroyed
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
WHILE ON A LOCAL FLT, THE ACFT IMPACTED THE GND ABOUT 3/10 OF A MILE SHORT OF RWY 4. THERE WERE NO KNOWN WITNESS TO THE ACDNT, THOUGH ONE PERSON SAW DUST FROM THE ACDNT SITE & WENT TO INVESTIGATE. THE AIRCRAFT CAME TO REST ON ITS BELLY & BURNED. THERE WAS EVIDENCE THAT THE ACFT HAD IMPACTED IN A LEVEL ATTITUDE, BUT THERE WAS NO APPARENT FORWARD MOVEMENT OF THE ACFT AFTER PRINCIPAL IMPACT. NO PREIMPACT PART FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF THE ACFT OR ENG WAS FOUND DURING THE INVESTIGATION. TOXICOLOGY EXAMS OF THE PLT'S & PSGR'S BLOOD SHOWED A CARBOXYHEMOGLOGIN (CARBON MONOXIDE) SATURATION OF 19% & 16%, RESPECTIVELY. THE TOXICOLOGIST NOTED THAT SMOKERS WOULD BE EXPECTED TO HAVE A SATURATION LEVEL OF 3% TO 10%. ALSO, METABOLITES OF MARIJUANA (CARBOXYLE ACID) WERE FND IN THE PLT'S & PSGR'S BLOOD AT LOW LEVELS OF 9 & 7 NG/ML, RESPECTIVELY. THE SPECIFIC SOURCE OF CARBON MONOXIDE WAS NOT DETERMINED.
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: 305 hours in all
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--w/ waivers/lim.)
- Seat: rgt
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 93 hours
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded, July 11, 1990
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320-E2C (piston); 0 hours total
- Fire on the ground
The flight
- Departed from: 09V
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 4, 3,400 ft by 75 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 100° at 10 knots
- Visibility: 40 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds; not recorded
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 57°F (14°C)
- Altimeter: 30.00 inHg
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.