Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2 accident near Lamar, Colorado, May 20, 1999
On May 20, 1999 at about 2:15 pm local time, a Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2, registered N70AT, was substantially damaged in an accident near Lamar, Colorado (Lamar Municipal 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 failure to maintain directional control during initial climb following takeoff. A factor was the pilot's lack of experience in the type of aircraft, and the fence.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 20, 1999 · about 2:15 pm local time
- Place
- Lamar, Colorado · Lamar Municipal Airport · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Artic Aircraft Corp. S-1B2
- Registration
- N70AT · registry record · serial 1021
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot was departing Lamar, Colorado, with an intended destination of Rock Springs, Wyoming. During initial climb takeoff, the pilot lost directional control and the aircraft collided with a fence off the end of the runway. Following the accident, the pilot reported to an FAA inspector that the left tire brace strut failed, creating an asymmetrical condition, and that he then made a forced landing. However, according to a mechanic at the airport, the right brace strut and landing gear had separated from the aircraft, not the left. It was also his opinion that the damage sustained to the right landing gear and brace strut was due to impact forces sustained during the collision with the fence. At the time of the accident, the pilot had accumulated a total of one hour of flight time in make and model. According to the FAA, the pilot had a past medical history of neuroses and several drug and alcohol related offenses. The last record of the pilot being issued a valid second class airman's medical certificate was on May 13, 1991. All attempts to contact the pilot were unsuccessful.
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: 450 hours in all; 1 in this make and model
- Medical certificate: None (expired)
- Seat: frt
The aircraft
- Last inspection: inspection type not recorded
- Maximum gross weight: 1,900 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-320 (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: LAA CO at 2:10 pm
- Destination: RKS Rock Springs WY
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 8, 5,001 ft by 60 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 1,600 ft; not recorded
- Temperature: 63°F (17°C), dew point 55°F (13°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:08 pm from LAA
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.