Cubcrafters CC11-160 accident near Lake City, Colorado, September 29, 2015
On September 29, 2015 at about 11:00 pm local time, a 2015 Cubcrafters CC11-160, registered N319PT, was substantially damaged in an accident during takeoff near Lake City, Colorado (Castle Lakes 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 loss of directional control during the takeoff, which resulted in a collision with a parked airplane and impact with terrain.
Source: NTSB aviation accident database, copy made October 5, 2026. Docket and reports at the NTSB.
What the record shows
- Date
- September 29, 2015 · about 11:00 pm local time
- Place
- Lake City, Colorado · Castle Lakes · map
- Type
- Accident
- Injuries
- No one was hurt; 1 person was on board or involved.
- Weather
- visual conditions (good weather)
- Aircraft
- Cubcrafters CC11-160, built 2015
- Registration
- N319PT · no longer on the register · serial CC11-00359
- Damage
- Substantial damage
- Flight
- Personal flight · general aviation rules (Part 91)
The NTSB's narrative final · quoted from the NTSB record
The pilot of the tailwheel-equipped airplane reported that he planned to depart from a mountain airport situated in a valley. He stated that the wind was calm before he started his takeoff roll, but after he started, a wind gust from the left pushed the airplane to the right into trees along the right side of the runway. The airplane sustained substantial damage to the wings and fuselage. An FAA inspector who went to the accident site reported that an airplane was parked on the right side of the runway about 218 feet from where the accident airplane began the takeoff. The parked airplane's owner, was standing near his airplane at the time of the takeoff, and witnessed the event. The witness reported that the pilot of the accident airplane lost directional control immediately after applying takeoff power and did not correct the airplane's course as it veered to the right. The witness reported that the accident airplane was tracking off the center of the runway from the start, and was aimed directly at him and his parked airplane. He stated that he dove into a ditch to avoid being hit, and that the accident airplane never got more than 10 feet in the air. The FAA inspector reported that he believed the accident airplane was forced into the air, and was not ready to fly. The wheels of the accident airplane rolled across the top of the right wing of the parked airplane, leaving tire tracks on the wing. The accident airplane then collided with a utility pole guy wire and impacted terrain. The pilot reported no preimpact mechanical failures or malfunctions with the airframe or engine that would have precluded normal operation.
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
What happened, in order
- Loss of control on ground during takeoff defining event
- Runway excursion during takeoff
- Collision during takeoff/land during takeoff
- Collision with terrain or object (not controlled flight into terrain) during takeoff
The NTSB's findings
- cause Personnel issues › Task performance › Use of equip/info › Aircraft control › Pilot
- cause Aircraft › Aircraft oper/perf/capability › Performance/control parameters › Directional control › Not attained/maintained
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Tree(s) › Contributed to outcome
- Environmental issues › Physical environment › Object/animal/substance › Pole › Contributed to outcome
Pilot
- Certificate: private
- Ratings: multi-engine land; single-engine land; single-engine sea; instrument: airplane
- Flight time: 2,175 hours in all; 96 in this make and model; 48 in the last 90 days; 12 in the last 30 days
- Last flight review: April 25, 2015
- Medical certificate: Sport Pilot (with waivers/limitations)
- Seat: frt
- Injury: no injuries
The aircraft
- Airframe total time: 105 hours
- Last inspection: type not recorded, February 28, 2015
- Maximum gross weight: 1,320 lb
- Seats: 2
- Landing gear: fixed
- Engine: Eci OX340CCB3J3N4 (piston); 105 hours total
The flight
- Departed from: CD32 Lake City CO at 11:00 pm
- Destination: 5CO6 La Garita CO
- Flight plan: none
- Runway 04, 3,200 ft by 50 ft
Weather at the time
- Light: daylight
- Wind: from 130° at 7 knots
- Visibility: 10 statute miles
- Sky: broken clouds at 11,000 ft; scat at 8,000 ft
- Temperature: 66°F (19°C), dew point 37°F (3°C)
- Altimeter: 30.37 inHg
- Observation at 10:55 pm from KTEX, 26 miles away
Injuries
| Fatal | Serious | Minor | None | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Flight crew | 1 |
Documents from the investigation the NTSB's docket: the evidence folder behind the report
3 documents, released by the NTSB on October 29, 2015. View them here, or download them; the NTSB redacts some personal details before release, and this site shows the NTSB's own titles rather than its file names.
| # | Document | What it is | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pilot/operator Aircraft Accident Report, NTSB Form 6120.1 | PDF, 9 pages | View Download |
| 2 | FAA Inspector's Statement | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
| 3 | Photos (Courtesy of FAA) | PDF, 5 pages | View Download |
The same docket at the NTSB · documents without a copy here are fetched from the NTSB when you open them.
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.