Amateur-built EMERAUDE accident near Delta, Colorado, May 31, 1999
On May 31, 1999 at about 3:16 pm local time, a amateur-built EMERAUDE, registered N99PC, suffered minor damage in an accident near Delta, Colorado (Hawkins Field). It was a personal flight under general aviation rules (Part 91). 1 person was seriously injured. The weather was visual conditions (good weather).
The NTSB's probable cause their words, unchanged
The pilot's failure to maintain directional control. Factors were the gusty tailwind and crosswinds reported, and the pilot's total lack of aeronautical experience.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- May 31, 1999 · about 3:16 pm local time
- Place
- Delta, Colorado · Hawkins Field · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- 1 person was seriously injured.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Amateur-built EMERAUDE
- Registration
- N99PC · registry record · serial 1PC
- Damage
- Minor damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The student pilot had flown from Delta, Colorado's, Blake Field to Delta's Hawkins Field, where he met his instructor. After making five takeoffs and landings, the instructor disembarked and the student pilot took off to return to Blake Field. He said the wind 'was crossfield at about 5 mph.' When he raised the tail to lift off, the airplane veered to the left. He applied right rudder, but this did not correct the excursion. The airplane nosed over and came to rest inverted. The instructor, who witnessed the accident, said it appeared that a tailwind gust had raised the tail. The student pilot had logged 43.7 hours total time in airplanes, of which 20.6 were in the Emeraude, and 12.6 hours total pilot-in-command time, of which 8.8 hours were in the Emeraude.
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: student
- Flight time: 44 hours in all; 21 in this make and model; 13 as pilot in command
- Medical certificate: Class 3 (valid medical--no waivers/lim.)
- Seat: left
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 215 hours
- Last inspection: annual inspection, April 6, 1999; 20 hours since
- Maximum gross weight: 2,100 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Lycoming O-290-D (piston); 0 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: D17 at 3:16 pm
- Destination: 1V9 Delta CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 22, 5,600 ft by 100 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 270° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: clear
- Temperature: 70°F (21°C), dew point 27°F (-3°C)
- Altimeter: 29.00 inHg
- Observation at 2:56 pm from GJT, 38 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.